US billionaire and Microsoft founder Bill Gates has admitted that his divorce from Melinda French Gates was a mistake he regrets the most.
In an interview, he discussed the challenges of ending their 27-year marriage, the emotional toll it took, and its lasting effects on their family and shared legacy.
Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates announced their divorce in May 2021 after 27 years of marriage. They shared identical statements, saying the decision came after “a great deal of thought and work on our relationship.” Though they initially continued as co-chairs of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda left the foundation in 2024.
Reflecting on the divorce in a January 2025 interview with The Times, Gates described it as “the mistake I regret the most,” admitting it caused ‘misery’ for both of them for two years. He acknowledged the split as his biggest failure, saying, “There are other [failures] but none that matter.” Despite this, the two remain in contact due to their three children, Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe, and their shared grandchildren.
Bill and Melinda Gates first crossed paths in 1987 at Microsoft, got married in 1994, and worked together to build their foundation, launched in 2000. Gates admitted that Melinda’s decision to leave the foundation after their divorce “disappointed” him but added, “She saw me through a lot,” reflecting on their years together. He also emphasized the “certain wonderfulness” of sharing an adult life and family with one person.
