In a candid interview with The Times of London, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has described his divorce from Melinda Gates as the most significant regret of his life.
“The unravelling of my marriage is the mistake I most regret,” Gates, 69, admitted in the interview published Saturday. “There are others, but none that matter,” he said, reflecting on the emotional toll of the split.
Gates and Melinda, who were married for 27 years, announced their divorce in May 2021, though they had been separated for a year before the public revelation. Despite the difficulties, the pair have maintained a cordial relationship, with Gates confirming that they still see each other at family events, thanks to their shared parenting of three children—Jennifer, 28; Rory, 25; and Phoebe, 22—and two grandchildren.
“The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years,” Gates shared, though he also noted that he is “more cheerful now.”
During the interview, Gates acknowledged the grounding role their marriage played during the growth of Microsoft. “The marriage kept me grounded,” he said, as he reflected on building his trillion-dollar company alongside Melinda.
Melinda, 60, has also spoken publicly about the challenges and clarity that came with their separation, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It gave us the privacy to do what needed to be done in private,” she said during a June 2024 interview.
While Melinda has called the split a “healthier choice,” she described it as the “lowest moment” in her life. Gates, on the other hand, admitted to causing pain in their relationship. In a 2022 interview with Savannah Guthrie, he acknowledged his responsibility for mistakes, including an affair with a Microsoft employee.
“I certainly made mistakes, and I take responsibility,” he said at the time, adding that discussing the specifics further would not be constructive.
Melinda also revealed that Gates’ ties to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein contributed to their marital strain. “I did not like that he had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, no. I made that clear to him,” she said in a 2022 interview with Gayle King, calling Epstein “evil personified.” Gates has since described his association with Epstein, who died by suicide in jail in 2019, as a “mistake.”
Both Gates and Melinda have since moved on romantically. Melinda confirmed her relationship with entrepreneur Philip Vaughn in October 2024, while Gates has been dating Paula Hurd, the widow of Oracle CEO Mark Hurd, since 2023.
Despite the personal and public challenges, the former couple appears to have prioritized their shared family values. “The kids are doing well. They have good values,” Gates said, emphasizing their commitment to co-parenting even after their separation.
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