Bill Gates has opened up about the end of his marriage to Melinda, describing it as his greatest regret.
Gates, 69, and Melinda parted ways in 2021 after being married for 27 years.
Their separation came as a shock to many, and in a recent discussion with the Times, the Microsoft co-founder expressed it as “the mistake I most regret.”
He stated, “The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years,” explaining that although he’s feeling “more cheerful” now, he still views it as his biggest regret.
“When Melinda and I met, I was fairly successful but not ridiculously successful — that came during the time that we were together,” Gates mentioned.
He added, “So, she saw me through a lot. When we got divorced, it was tough and then she made the decision to leave the foundation — I was disappointed that she took the option to go off.”
The couple first met in 1987 when Melinda was employed as a product manager at Microsoft.
They wed in 1994 and have three children together – Jennifer, 28, Rory, 25, Phoebe, 22, and two grandchildren, Leila and Mia.
Reflecting on his life’s ‘failures,’ Gates said, “You would have to put that at the top of the list. There are others but none that matter.”
“… Melinda and I still see each other — we have three kids and two grandchildren, so there are family events.”
He added, “The kids are doing well. They have good values.”
Both have moved on with new relationships; Bill is seeing Paula Hurd, and Melinda is dating entrepreneur Philip Vaughn.
Melinda also discussed the timing of their separation, highlighting how it enabled them to make decisions about their marriage privately.
Commenting on their split during the COVID pandemic, Melinda told Time, “It gave us the privacy to do what needed to be done in private.”
“You know, I separated first before I made the full decision about a divorce. And to be able to do that in private while I’m still trying to take care of the kids, while still making certain decisions about how you’re going to disentangle your life — thank God.”
She also mentioned the ‘new opportunities’ in her life, saying, “I live in a neighborhood. Now I can walk to little stores. I can walk to the drugstore, I can walk to a restaurant.”
“I absolutely love it.”