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Bill Gates calls 2021 divorce the ‘mistake I most regret’
Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Bill Gates recently revealed that his divorce from ex-wife Melinda French Gates was his biggest regret.
In an interview with British newspaper The Times published Saturday, the tech mogul said it “was the mistake I most regret.” The philanthropic power couple announced the surprise split in May 2021 after 27 years of marriage.
“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” they said in a joint statement posted to social media at the time. “Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives.”
Both Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates continued to co-chair the famous Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the largest charitable institutions in the world, until she resigned last year. After the breakup, the 69-year-old lost their joint book club, his meditation buddy and walking partner.
“You would have to put that at the top of the list,” Gates told The Times. “There are others but none that matter. The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years.”
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Gates ‘disappointed’ when ex-wife announced resignation from foundation
Gates’ success was the result of a convergence of an “unbelievable number of things,” including his marriage to Melinda which kept him grounded, he told The Times.
The couple met in 1987 after French became a product manager at Microsoft and were seated next to each other at a business dinner in New York City. They were married seven years later in Hawaii. Melinda French Gates spent a decade developing multimedia products at Microsoft before leaving to focus on their family and philanthropy. The couple share three children together: Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe.
“There is a certain wonderfulness to spending your entire adult life with one person because of the memories and depth of things you have done and having kids together,” Gates told The Times. “When Melinda and I met, I was fairly successful but not ridiculously successful — that came during the time that we were together. So, she saw me through a lot.”
Gates said the divorce was “tough,” adding he was “disappointed” when she announced she would be leaving the foundation to pursue other philanthropic opportunities, reported The Times.
“Melinda and I still see each other — we have three kids and two grandchildren so there are family events,” he told The Times. “The kids are doing well. They have good values.”
Melinda French Gates, 60, under terms of an agreement with her ex-husband, would receive an additional $12.5 billion to fund charitable acts on behalf of women and families.
In 2015, Melinda French Gates started Pivotal Ventures, an investment and incubator to help solve problems facing women and families. Her book, “The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World,” was published in 2019.
Why did Bill and Melinda French Gates divorce?
Melinda French Gates opened up about the separation in a March 2022 interview with “CBS Mornings” anchor Gayle King, a year after the divorce announcement.
The Wall Street Journal reported Microsoft board members decided it wasn’t appropriate for Bill Gates to continue sitting on its board in 2020, while the board investigated his prior romantic relationship with a female Microsoft employee.
At the time, the outlet claimed an unnamed spokeswoman for Gates acknowledged he had an affair almost two decades prior, and that it ended “amicably.”
When King asked Gates about the alleged infidelity, she responded:
“Well, I certainly believe in forgiveness, so I thought we had worked through some of that,” she said. “It wasn’t one moment or one specific thing that happened. There just came a point in time where there was enough there that I realized it just wasn’t healthy, and I couldn’t trust what we had.”
Contributing: Mike Snider, Amy Hanline, Natalie Neysa Alund and Craig Harris, USA TODAY
Bill Gates calls 2021 divorce the ‘mistake I most regret’
In a surprising turn of events, tech billionaire Bill Gates has publicly declared his recent divorce from Melinda French Gates as the “mistake I most regret” in a candid interview. The couple, who announced their split in May 2021 after 27 years of marriage, have since been working through the details of their separation.
Gates, known for his co-founding of Microsoft and philanthropic efforts through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, opened up about the emotional toll of the divorce and the impact it has had on his personal life. He expressed remorse for the decisions that led to the end of their marriage and acknowledged the pain it has caused both him and his ex-wife.
Despite the challenges of the divorce, Gates remains committed to continuing their philanthropic work together and co-parenting their three children. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a civil and respectful relationship with Melinda, stating that they are focused on moving forward in a positive and constructive manner.
As one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, Gates’ personal life has often been the subject of public fascination. His candid admission of regret regarding his divorce serves as a reminder that even the most successful and influential individuals are not immune to personal struggles and mistakes.
While the future of Bill and Melinda Gates’ relationship remains uncertain, it is clear that they are both committed to navigating this difficult chapter with grace and integrity. Only time will tell how their story will unfold, but one thing is certain: Bill Gates’ declaration of regret serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities of love, marriage, and human relationships.
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