Gayle King, the celebrated co-anchor of CBS Mornings, is a powerhouse in broadcast journalism, but her journey as a mother and her past as a wife are equally compelling. She was married to attorney William Bumpus from 1982 to 1993. The couple’s union, which ended in divorce, produced her two beloved children: daughter Kirby Bumpus (born 1986) and son William Bumpus Jr. (born 1987).
Before her marriage, King grew up as the eldest of four sisters in a military family, living in Turkey for several years before returning to Maryland. That experience shaped her worldview, but it was becoming a mother that defined much of her personal life. Despite the end of her marriage, King has maintained a close, co-parenting relationship with her ex-husband, a child protection attorney. While she has hinted at a desire for a “great love story” in recent years, she has remained openly single, focusing her energy on her career and her expanding family.
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The Marriage and Its Unraveling
Gayle King married William Bumpus in 1982. During their time together, Bumpus served as the Assistant Attorney General of Connecticut. However, the marriage was shattered in 1990 when King returned home early from a canceled flight to find her husband in a compromising position with one of her friends.
In a detailed retelling on the Call Her Daddy podcast in 2026, King recounted how she discovered the affair while her young children were in the house, a betrayal she described as deeply traumatic. The couple attempted reconciliation but ultimately divorced in 1993. Despite the painful split, King has spoken candidly about her healing process, stating she is “all healed” and not bitter, prioritizing a healthy environment for her kids.
A Blended Family: Children and Grandchildren
King’s two kids have grown into accomplished adults. Kirby Bumpus, who holds degrees from Stanford and Columbia University, married Virgil Miller at Oprah Winfrey’s home in 2020. She has made King a proud grandmother to grandson Luca (born 2021) and granddaughter Grayson (born 2024).
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King’s son, William “Will” Bumpus Jr., a graduate of Duke and Stanford who works as a managing partner at Phoenix Rising Capital, married Elise Smith in 2024. In late 2025, King joyfully announced that Will and Elise are expecting their first child, excitedly declaring “Our family is growing!” Throughout it all, King describes motherhood as a defining role, even sharing parenting regrets about relying on simple meals like fish sticks and tater tots when her children were young.
