Bill Gates Is Not Engaged to Paula Hurd Despite Photos of Her Wearing a Ring on That Finger: Rep

"Our office can confirm that the ring Mrs. Hurd was seen wearing has belonged to her for decades," a spokesperson for Gates tells PEOPLE

Bill Gates is not engaged to Paula Hurd, a rep for the billionaire confirms.

Engagement rumors recently surfaced after Hurd was photographed wearing a piece of jewelry on her ring finger while out with Gates, 67, in New York City.

However, a spokesperson for the Microsoft co-founder tells PEOPLE that the ring has belonged to Hurd for quite some time and does not symbolize an engagement.

“Our office can confirm that the ring Mrs. Hurd was seen wearing has belonged to her for decades,” the spokesperson says. (Hurd has previously been seen wearing a ring with Gates.)

TMZ was first to report on the news.

Related: Who Is Bill Gates' Girlfriend? All About Paula Hurd

News broke about the relationship in February following his divorce from Melinda French Gates in Aug. 2021.

At the time, a source told PEOPLE that their relationship was "widely known."

Hurd, 61, is the widow of Mark Hurd, the late CEO of software company Oracle and the one-time boss of Hewlett-Packard, who died in 2019. He was 62.

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Gates and Hurd were previously seen sitting next to each other at the Laver Cup at the O2 Arena in London in September 2022. In January 2023, they were also photographed together at the Australian Open.

Before their relationship went public, Gates told the BBC that he planned to find love again after his divorce from his wife of 27 years. "Sure, I'm not a robot," he said.

Related: Jennifer Gates Shares Sweet Photo of Bill Gates on Grandpa Duty Reading to Baby Leila

In a March 2022 interview with CBS Mornings, French Gates said her relationship with her ex-husband has remained “friendly” following the divorce.

"Certainly, I wish him well," French Gates said during an interview last year, later adding, "I think we have a productive working relationship, and I think that will continue."

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