Bill Gates' billionaire ex wife Melinda flashes a HUGE new diamond ring on engagement finger after private helicopter ride… as she finds happiness following split from the Microsoft founder

Melinda French Gates has been spotted flashing a huge new diamond ring on her engagement finger after stepping off a private helicopter at a New York City helipad.  

Melinda, was reported to be in a relationship with former Fox reporter Jon Du Pre, 64, back in 2022. The philanthropist was all smiles as she was accompanied by an assistant who helped with her luggage. 

She was seen carrying a large pink Chanel shopping bag that retails for around $6,600. 

Melinda, 59, wore a light beige mesh jacket, fitting for the spring weather. Underneath she could be seen wearing a white blouse, black trousers, and Loewe sneakers that retail for $600.

But it was the huge rock on her ring finger that was front and center as she stepped away from the chopper.

Melinda French Gates was seen with a large diamond ring on her engagement finger after arriving in New York City via private helicopter 

A closeup view of Melinda's ring finger gives an idea of the size of the diamond

Melinda was all smiles as she walked away from the private helicopter

Bill and Melinda founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The pair continued to work on the foundation after their 2021 split

Melinda had been dating former Fox News reporter Jon Du Pre. They are pictured at a basketball game in April 2022

There has been no public announcement of Melinda getting engaged, nor has their been any further reporting on her relationship with DuPre.  

Melinda, who called her divorce from the software billionaire 'unbelievably painful,' has reportedly been seeing former Du Pre since 2022.

Du Pre, who has worked across the country as a news anchor in various cities, was previously married 1985's Miss Utah Gina Larsen. The pair were first pictured together attending a Boston Celtics game in 2022.

 The reporter met his first wife while studying journalism at the Mormon college Brigham Young.Their tumultuous marriage features in his autobiography, named The Prodigal Father. 

In one shocking section, Du Pre wrote: 'Once she was disarmed and I was loaded with explosive rage, she didn't have a chance.' 

He added: 'I stood and ran across the living room at my pregnant wife, and she cowered as I swelled with hot, angry air and launched the worst verbal attack she had ever endured.'

The book is based primarily around Du Pre's abusive relationship with his father, Robert, a once prominent civil rights lawyer and FBI agent who was accused of spying on suspected communists in Hollywood in the 1950s.

He said that his father's social life revolved around drinking and carousing which often left the family without enough money for food.

According to his LinkedIn page, DuPre runs a media production company in Las Vegas. He left Fox in 2002 to take on an anchor role at CBS Phoenix before moving to the city's ABC affiliate. 

From there, he moved to Utah where he worked at ABC4 and then on to San Diego's KUSI before seemingly leaving mainstream broadcasting in March 2015.  

Although he regularly posts on Instagram, he doesn't reveal too much about his personal life

The one-time Fox News star does follow Melinda's Gates' private Instagram account as well as the billionaire's daughter, Phoebe, on the platform.  

Du Pre recounts the abuse he inflicted upon his wife writing: 'Welcome to the real world, princess, where not everyone is happy. For once, this one's not about you, you spoon-fed, spoiled-rotten b****'

Du Pre and his first wife pictured here in 1986 met while they were both studying journalism at Brigham Young University 

She appeared cheerful as an assistant helped with her luggage, carrying a pricey Chanel shopping bag and wearing a spring-appropriate outfits

One assistant could be seen carrying a navy bag while Melinda carried her own pink bag

While the exact details surrounding the start of their romance are still unclear, Melinda first revealed back in March 2022 that she was officially 'dipping her toes' into the dating world again following her divorce from Bill.

After the couple split, Melinda spoke out in detail about what lead to the uncoiling of her marriage, and she said there wasn't one particular thing that lead to their breakup, but rather it was a bunch of things that added up over time. 

She revealed that she slowly realized she 'wasn't healthy' in the relationship, and that she could no longer 'trust what she and Bill had.'

Melinda has a current net worth of about $13 billion; Bill Gates has a fortune worth more than $148 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Earlier this year, the pair divided personal services, such as private jets, security and other functions previously housed for both of them under an entity called Watermark.

Bill has been spotted numerous times with Paula Hurd, 60, the former wife of Oracle co-CEO Mark Hurd, who passed away in October of 2019. 

At the time, she told CBS Mornings host Gayle King that she was 'definitely' open to finding love again - and even revealed that she had already met some suitors.

'It's interesting at this point,' she said with a giggle. 'You know, I'm dipping my toe in that water a little bit. I feel like, I'm in a really good place. And I'm really, really excited about my life and about the world - the work ahead.'

Melinda appeared to be in a cheerful mood as she was spotted arriving in New York City

Melinda called her split with Bill 'unbelievably painful, in innumerable ways,' but added that that her 'main concern' was 'protecting her kids.' The Gates family is pictured in 2019

Bill Gates and Paula Hurd attend the 2024 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in April

Bill and Melinda reunited for daughter Phoebe's 21st birthday party in September 2023

Melinda and Phoebe attend the Clooney Foundation for Justice's 2023 Albie Awards at New York Public Library

While they were still a couple, the Gates' famously said they would try their best to deliver normal lives to their children, despite the extraordinary circumstances.

Bill previously announced that he was more interested in giving his children an education so they can make something of themselves. He vowed to give each of them a small amount of money, before passing the rest onto his eponymous foundation.

He said: 'Our kids will receive a great education and some money, so they are never going to be poorly off, but they'll go out and have their own career.

'It's not a favor to kids to have them have huge sums of wealth. It distorts anything they might do, creating their own path.'

The exes may have tried to raise their kids as modestly as possible, but their living situation was far from humble - the family grew up in a mansion in Medina, Washington, that came complete with seven bathrooms, 24 bathrooms, and six kitchens, as well as its own man-made beach, at-home movie theater, gym, and trampoline room.

The property, worth an estimated $131 million, is nicknamed 'Xanadu 2.0,' a reference to the fictional estate in the movie 'Citizen Kane.'