Gayle King's Kids: Meet Kirby Bumpus and William Bumpus Jr.

News anchor Gayle King is one dedicated mama! She shares her two kids — Kirby Bumpus and William Bumpus Jr. — with ex-husband William Bumpus, and they always know how to make her laugh. As much as the TV star adores being a mom, Gayle has been dreaming about the moment when her children will make her grandma.

Fortunately for Gayle, that day is finally here as her daughter, Kirby, welcomed her first child, a baby boy, in September 2021. The proud grandmother shared the exciting news during an episode of CBS This Morning, saying she’s “over the moon” about becoming a grandparent. “He’s very, very cute, so congratulations to my favorite daughter, my favorite son-in-law. Now I have a favorite grandson!” she gushed.

The news of Kirby’s little bundle of joy comes five months after the This Morning host revealed her daughter was expecting during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. “We haven’t told anybody … because I’ve been held to secrecy,” the doting mom said in April. “Ellen, I’m gonna be a grandmother, and I can’t wait!”

As fans know, Gayle has been preparing for her role as a grandma for years now. The Color Purple actress was hoping grandparenthood was around the corner when her daughter announced her engagement to then-fiancé Virgil Miller in February 2019.

“Kirby doesn’t want to hear it, as she said to me the other day,” Gayle shared with People. “I said, ‘Kirby, I thought of another great baby name. Do you like the name Chandler? What about Eden?’ I’m trying to get names that could go with either males or females. ‘What about Remington?’”

At the time, however, Gayle’s plan didn’t work. Her daughter, who married her now-husband in December 2020, quickly caught on to what the CBS star was trying to do. “She goes, ‘Mom, my womb is empty and I would just like to plan the wedding,’” Gayle quipped.

While Kirby is now adjusting to life as a mom of one, the TV personality’s other kid, William, is keeping himself busy with work, friends and family. In April 2021, Gayle proved how much she cherishes her young man by uploading a touching tribute for his birthday.

“Do you know what you were doing at 1:50 p.m. [on] April 28, 1987?” she penned alongside a collage of photos. “I was having my FAVORITE son Will! Swipe left for @willgb3 through the years and Will today.”

Keep scrolling to learn more about Gayle’s children!

Kirby Bumpus

Kirby is Gayle’s eldest child, and she was born in May 1986. TheThings.com reported she was an administrator during Barack Obama‘s presidency, but according to her Instagram, the dark-haired beauty is now a health educator and a mentor. Kirby often shares photos with her beau, as well as pics of her working out and hanging with friends.

Kirby made her mother so proud when she announced her engagement in February 2019. “Here. WE. Go!” the blushing bride wrote next to a photo of her new ring on Instagram. Shortly after, Gayle shared the same picture on her account and wrote, “Welcome to the family, Virgil Miller! [Kirby] thought Will and I were in L.A.”

Kirby and Virgil tied the knot less than two years later in December 2020. Gayle announced the news of her daughter’s surprise nuptials alongside gorgeous photos of the married pair on Instagram.

“FINALLY fav daughter @kirbybump gave me permission to share the news she’s a married lady,” Gayle wrote in February 2021, noting they held a “super small service” of six people due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Strict COVID-19 rules … I couldn’t even hug her on her wedding day, that was haaaaard! Not the wedding we planned in 2020, [but] the day was gorgeous and so was Kirby!”

Gayle was even more elated to announce Kirby’s first pregnancy in April 2021. Though they held off from divulging the sex of Kirby’s baby, Gayle revealed her daughter gave birth to a beautiful baby boy — whom the couple named Luca Miller — in mid-September.

“Kirby got out of the hospital on Friday and I got on a plane … and I actually beat her home Friday because it took so long to get released from the hospital,” the Note to Self author said during a CBS broadcast, recalling the moment she met Luca. “I wanted to be a grandmother for a long time, and it’s really something when you see your own child become a parent. I am so nuts about him. And then I was holding him, Kirby goes, ‘You know, you have to support his neck.’ Uh, okay! I actually know how to do this!”

Congrats to the growing family!

William Bumpus Jr.

Gayle has always been protective of William since she welcomed him in April 1987. Even though he’s gone off and moved to California following his graduation from Duke University, she still gets concerned about William every now and then.

During an appearance on The Talk in June 2020, the TV host said she’s been especially “worried” about her son’s safety amid the Black Lives Matter protests. Because he lives close to where people were protesting against police brutality following George Floyd’s death, she begged her son to stay safe.

“[I’m] saying, ‘Will, please don’t walk Scott … please don’t take him for long walks, everything is so volatile,” she explained. “I worry for him being a Black man, period. And now everybody is so amped up about everything. I do, I worry a lot about his safety. Welcome to being Black in America. This is not new.”

William loves living in Santa Monica with his dog, Scott, but he frequently makes trips home to spend time with his mom and family. While gushing over Kirby’s wedding, Gayle revealed her “favorite son @willgb3 performed the ceremony.” How special!