Bill Gates recently confessed that splitting from his ex-wife Melinda after 27 years of marriage tops his list of life’s biggest regrets. The Microsoft co-founder told the Times of London. Despite feeling “more cheerful now,” he later described the collapse of his marriage as “the mistake I most regret.”
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Despite his other setbacks, the 69-year-old multibillionaire described the divorce as “at the top of the list” of failures. “There are others, but none that matter,” Gates admitted to the outlet. “The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years.”
He also admitted that he pushed to make his marriage reflect the one his parents had.
“I encouraged Melinda to be a little calmer than my mother was, but we were both quite driven,” he recalled. “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 two, now in relationships with other people, have remained on good terms and continue to share a friendly connection after their breakup.
“Melinda and I still see each other — we have three kids and two grandchildren, so there are family events. The kids are doing well. They have good values,” Gates explained.
Bill Gates Credits His Marriage with Keeping Him Grounded as He Built His Empire
In another part of the profile, Gates credited his marriage with keeping him “grounded” as he built his trillion-dollar company.
Bill and Melinda tied the knot in 1994 and are parents to three children: Jennifer, 28, Rory, 25, and Phoebe, 22. The couple announced their separation in May 2021, revealing they had been living apart for a year prior to the public disclosure.
“When Melinda and I met, I was fairly successful but not ridiculously successful — that came during the time that we were together,” Gates explained to The Times of London. “So, she saw me through a lot. When we got divorced, it was tough, and then she made the decision to leave the foundation — I was disappointed that she took the option to go off.”
Meanwhile, Melinda doesn’t seem to be looking back.
In October 2024, Melinda publicly confirmed her relationship with entrepreneur Philip Vaughn. Page Six spotted the couple holding hands as they enjoyed a dinner outing at Le Bernardin in NYC.