Gloria-Sophie Burkandt denies relationship rumors with Eric Schmidt

Gloria-Sophie Burkandt, daughter of Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder, has addressed ongoing rumors regarding a romantic relationship with former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. In an interview with RTL, the 27-year-old denied the speculations, stating that she and the 44-year-old older entrepreneur have never been a couple.

Burkandt described their connection as a mentor-student relationship. She noted that Schmidt served as an inspiration for her recently published book, which focuses on digital technology and artificial intelligence. She explained that her appearances with Schmidt at events like the World Economic Forum in Davos were due to her professional interest in the topics discussed.