Bill Gates Says Divorce from Ex-Wife Melinda ‘Was the Mistake I Regret the Most’

Bill Gates is talking candidly about his divorce from Melinda French Gates, calling it “the error I remorse essentially the most.”

In an interview with The Times of London printed on Saturday, Jan. 25, the previous Microsoft exec, 69, opened up about his 2021 divorce from his spouse of 27 years, revealing that one among his largest objectives in life was to duplicate his personal mother and father’ 45-year marriage.

“I inspired Melinda to be slightly calmer than my mom was, however we had been each fairly pushed,” he advised the outlet, reflecting on how he tried to make his personal marriage replicate his mother and father’. “I spent extra time with the children than my dad did, however the ratio was nonetheless 10:1, with Melinda doing most issues for the children. We had a good time.”

Bill stated he believes there’s a “sure wonderfulness to spending your whole grownup life with one particular person,” particularly if you share youngsters collectively, in addition to fond recollections and shared tasks.

“When Melinda and I met, I used to be pretty profitable however not ridiculously profitable — that got here through the time that we had been collectively,” he advised The Times of London. “So, she noticed me by loads. When we acquired divorced, it was powerful after which she made the choice to go away the muse — I used to be dissatisfied that she took the choice to go off.”

The former couple first met in 1987, when Melinda turned a product supervisor at Microsoft, they usually finally married in Hawaii in 1994. The pair based the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — a nonprofit devoted to combating world poverty and illness — in 2000. Following their cut up, Melinda, 60, resigned from the muse in May 2024.

When requested if divorce was his solely failure in life, Bill advised The Times of London: “You must put that on the high of the checklist. There are others however none that matter.”

“The divorce factor was depressing for me and Melinda for a minimum of two years,” he continued, including elsewhere within the dialog that he has grow to be “extra cheerful” within the practically 4 years since their cut up, however nonetheless considers it to be “the error I most remorse.”

“Melinda and I nonetheless see one another — we’ve got three children and two grandchildren, so there are household occasions,” he stated. “The children are doing effectively. They have good values.”

The pair share three youngsters: son Rory, 25, daughter Phoebe, 22, and daughter Jennifer, 28, in addition to two grandchildren, Jennifer’s daughters Leila and Mia. Bill is now courting Paula Hurd, the widow of former Oracle government Mark Hurd.

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Melinda has additionally beforehand opened up about her cut up from Bill, telling Time final 12 months that whereas their divorce was “hard” and “painful,” over time it will definitely got here with “fantastic” new alternatives.

“I live in a neighborhood. Now I can walk to little stores. I can walk to the drugstore, I can walk to a restaurant,” she advised the outlet, talking about her change of surroundings after the cut up. “I absolutely love it.”

Melinda additionally revealed that the previous couple had separated through the COVID-19 pandemic, buying and selling off who was in a position to keep at their shared household dwelling with their youngsters.

“It gave us the privateness to do what wanted to be carried out in personal,” she advised Time of their household life through the pandemic. “You know, I separated first earlier than I made the total resolution a few divorce. And to have the ability to do this in personal whereas I’m nonetheless attempting to handle the children, whereas nonetheless ensuring selections about the way you’re going to disentangle your life — thank God.”