Bill Gates has opened up about the heartbreak of his divorce from Melinda Gates. After 27 years of marriage, the Microsoft founder admits that it’s the biggest regret of his life.
In a candid interview, Bill revealed, “The divorce was miserable for both me and Melinda for at least two years.” The separation was tough, with both dealing with emotional struggles after the split.
“I’m cheerful now,” Bill said, but he confessed that the divorce process was incredibly painful. He had hoped his marriage to Melinda would mirror the lasting union of his parents, Bill Sr. and Mary, who were married for 45 years.
Bill shared, “There’s something special about spending your entire life with one person. The memories, the experiences, raising kids together. No other relationship compares to that.”
Their journey together
The couple first crossed paths in 1987 at a Microsoft meeting. Bill, then the CEO, met Melinda, a product manager. Bill famously asked her out in a parking lot, and their relationship grew from there.
They married on New Year’s Day in 1994 and had three children: Jennifer, 28, Rory, 25, and Phoebe, 22. Bill admitted, “When we met, I was successful, but not as successful as I became during our marriage. She saw me through a lot.“
In 2021, after secretly separating the year before, Bill and Melinda shocked the world by announcing their divorce. They stated they could no longer “grow together as a couple.”
Melinda’s departure from the foundation
Bill expressed disappointment when Melinda left the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a nonprofit they founded together to fight poverty and disease. In 2024, the foundation changed its name to The Gates Foundation after Melinda’s resignation.
A $130 billion split
At the time of their divorce in 2021, Bill’s net worth was a staggering $130 billion. The couple, without a prenup, worked out a separation agreement to settle the terms of the split.
In the years following the divorce, Bill moved on with Paula Hurd, a former tech executive and widow of Oracle CEO Mark Hurd. Melinda also found love with entrepreneur Philip Vaughn, announcing their relationship in 2024.
Staying connected for family
Despite the split, Bill and Melinda continue to interact due to their shared family ties. “We still see each other at family events. We have three kids and two grandchildren. The kids are doing well and have good values,” Bill said.
