Bill Gates Admits His Divorce From Melinda Was A Huge Mistake
In 2021, after 27 years of marriage, Melinda and Bill announced their separation.
Divorce is challenging in private - but when it happens under the glare of global attention, it becomes something else entirely. For Bill Gates, whose name is known in virtually every corner of the world, ending his marriage to Melinda French Gates wasn’t just a personal loss; it was a public event dissected by media outlets and social commentators alike.
Few people experience the intense scrutiny that follows one of the world’s richest couples, and even fewer have to sort through the fallout while trying to protect a family that is still healing. In his recent interview with The Times, Gates stripped away any attempt to soften the reality of what unfolded, calling the breakdown of his 27‑year marriage “the mistake I most regret.”
His words cut straight to the heart of something universal: no amount of success or wealth can insulate someone from heartbreak - or from the hard work required to rebuild after it.
Gates, now 69, and Melinda announced their separation in 2021 after nearly three decades together. At the time, news of their split took many by surprise, given how inseparable they’d seemed both personally and professionally through their joint leadership of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
In that Times interview, Gates said the divorce was “miserable” for both of them for at least two years. Though he describes himself as “more cheerful” now, he remains candid about how deeply the experience affected him.
A Family-First Approach Despite Separation
“When Melinda and I met, I was fairly successful but not ridiculously successful - that came during the time that we were together,” Gates explained. “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.”
Their relationship began in 1987 when Melinda was working as a product manager at Microsoft. They married in 1994, raised three children, Jennifer (28), Rory (25), and Phoebe (22), and are now grandparents to Leila and Mia. Despite the split, Gates emphasizes that family remains a priority.
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Back in 1998, the couple…
“You would have to put that [the divorce] at the top of the list of my failures in life. There are others but none that matter,” he said. “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.”
Both have moved forward in their personal lives. Bill has been linked to Paula Hurd, while Melinda is dating entrepreneur Philip Vaughn. Yet each appears intent on forging an authentic path away from the expectations tied to their former joint identity.
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Melinda French Gates has also shared her perspective on the split, pointing out that the timing, during the COVID‑19 pandemic, gave them a rare window of privacy. In a Time magazine interview, she said,
“It gave us the privacy to do what needed to be done in private. You know, I separated first before I made the full decision about a divorce. And to be able to do that in private while I’m still trying to take care of the kids, while still making certain decisions about how you’re going to disentangle your life — thank God.”
She’s embraced simpler routines that underscore her independence: “I live in a neighborhood. Now I can walk to little stores. I can walk to the drugstore, I can walk to a restaurant,” she shared, highlighting the everyday freedoms she values.
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Despite their divorce, Bill and Melinda Gates have remained dedicated to their philanthropic endeavors. Although Melinda stepped back from the day-to-day operations of the Gates Foundation, her commitment to the mission endures.
Bill's recent reflections highlight a profound truth: the significance of accomplishments and resources pales in comparison to the well-being of our closest relationships. Their story reminds us that, regardless of how public our lives may be, some struggles are deeply personal—and it is often these lessons that carry the most weight.
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