Bill Gates calls his «miserable» divorce from Melinda French Gates the biggest mistake he regrets the most
Bill Gates is reflecting openly on his divorce from Melinda French Gates, calling it «the mistake I regret the most.»
The former Microsoft executive, 69, spoke candidly in a *The Times of London* interview published on January 25, revealing how he once aspired to recreate the 45-year marriage of his parents.
«I encouraged Melinda to be a little calmer than my mother was, but we were both quite driven,» Gates explained.
«I spent more time with the kids than my dad did, but the ratio was still 10:1, with Melinda doing most things for the kids. We had a great time.»
The couple, who married in 1994 and founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000, split in 2021. Melinda, 60, left the foundation in May 2024.
Gates acknowledged the difficulty of the divorce, saying, «The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years.»
While he feels he has become «more cheerful» in the years following the split, he still considers it his biggest regret.
Gates added, «You would have to put that at the top of the list. There are others but none that matter.» Despite the pain of their separation, he noted that they still see each other at family events, as they share three children and two grandchildren.
After their separation during the COVID-19 pandemic, Melinda has found new joys, such as enjoying her neighborhood walks and embracing the privacy she needed during the difficult period.
She shared that their separation allowed her to privately navigate the situation while caring for their children.
Meanwhile, Bill is currently in a relationship with Paula Hurd, the widow of former Oracle executive Mark Hurd.
