Billionaire former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, 70, has ignited transatlantic headlines after being romantically linked to Gloria-Sophie Burkandt, the 27-year-old model daughter of Bavaria’s powerful Minister-President Markus Söder.
The duo first turned heads at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last month, strolling together amid global leaders and dealmakers. Germany’s top tabloid BILD reported they’ve since jetted across the United States, India, and Europe, ringing in the New Year side-by-side, with plans to reunite at next week’s Munich Security Conference from February 13-15.
Despite the 43-year age gap—Schmidt is 21 years older than Burkandt’s father—the pair reportedly met at Harvard University in November 2025 and quickly became fixtures at elite tech-policy gatherings. Sources close to Schmidt insist they’re merely “close friends,” not lovers, fueling talk of a modern “situationship.”
Schmidt, married to philanthropist Wendy Schmidt since 1980 after 45 years together, has long been rumored to be in an open relationship. He’s faced past scrutiny, including a messy split from entrepreneur Michelle Ritter involving lawsuits over alleged misconduct, which he vehemently denied as “false and defamatory.”
Burkandt, staying clear of her father’s Christian Social Union (CSU) politics, has carved her own path as a model, author, public speaker, economist, and PhD candidate splitting time between New York, Los Angeles, and Germany. She patrons the Richard Wagner for Children initiative tied to the Bayreuth Festival, blending culture with education.
BILD portrayed her as fitting Schmidt’s “preferred type” of young brunettes, noting his wife reportedly has no issue. The story has captivated social media on both sides of the Atlantic, blending tech royalty with European political pedigree amid whispers of influence and optics in Germany’s conservative circles.
