By Abiola Olawale
American billionaire and business magnate, Bill Gates has reflected on his divorce from Melinda French Gates, which was announced in May 2021 after 27 years of marriage, and revealed insightful regrets.
Gates, a former Microsoft executive, disclosed in an interview with The Times of London, that the divorce was a personal challenge for him, admitting that it left him feeling “miserable.”
He added that it was a decision he came to regret. He also described the experience as one of his greatest mistakes.
He asserted: “You would have to put that at the top of the list. There are others but none that matter. The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years. It’s a mistake I most regret.
“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.”
The New Diplomat reports that the divorce between Bill and Melinda was finalized in August 2021.
Despite the personal turmoil, they committed to continuing their joint work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, although Melinda eventually decided to step down as co-chair in May 2024, redirecting her focus on her own philanthropy efforts with an additional $12.5 billion for work on behalf of women and families.
It would be recalled also that Bill and Melinda first met in 1987 when she joined Microsoft as a product manager.
They got married in Hawaii in 1994 and went on to co-found the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000, a nonprofit organization.
