Tech billionaire and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who divorced his wife in May 2021, is having second thoughts.
Gates was married to Melinda for 27 years. They met in 1987 while Melinda French (as she then was) was a marketing staff at Microsoft, and got married in 1994.
They have three children and live in Seattle, Washington. Together, they founded the multibillion-dollar Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, focusing primarily on women’s health advocacy and funding.
Upon reflection, Mr. Gates says separating from Melinda was “the mistake I most regret.”
In an interview with The Times, the 69-year-old billionaire admitted the separation was a profoundly challenging experience but noted that he feels “more cheerful now.”
Despite the emotional toll, Gates acknowledged his profound connection with Melinda, saying, “There’s something extraordinary about spending your entire adult life with one person. The shared memories, the depth of what you’ve accomplished together, and having children—it’s all quite special. When Melinda and I met, I was already fairly successful, but not outrageously so—that happened during our time together. She stood by me through it all.”
Bill hoped to emulate his parents, who stayed married for 45 years. He said, “I encouraged Melinda to be a bit calmer than my mother was, but we were both quite driven. I spent more time with the kids than my dad, but the ratio was still 10:1, with Melinda doing most of the parenting. We had a wonderful time.”
However, their divorce was a turning point, with Melinda stepping away from the foundation—a decision that Bill found particularly hard to accept. “When we divorced, it was challenging. Then she chose to step away from the foundation, which I found disheartening,” he said.
Reflecting on the aftermath of the split, Bill described it as one of his greatest failings. “It has to be at the top of the list. There are others, but none that compare. The divorce was miserable for both Melinda and me for at least two years,” he shared.
Despite their separation, Bill and Melinda have worked to maintain an amicable relationship while co-parenting their three children, Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe, who are now adults.
She received $12 billion from Bill’s divorce settlement.
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