American billionaire and philanthropist Bill Gates has candidly reflected on one of the most personal and painful chapters of his life — his divorce from Melinda French Gates in 2021 — describing it as the mistake he regrets the most.
In a heartfelt interview with The Times of London, the 69-year-old Microsoft co-founder revealed how the end of his nearly three-decade-long marriage was particularly difficult for him, not only emotionally but also in light of the aspirations he had carried since childhood. Gates said he had always admired his parents’ enduring 45-year marriage and had hoped to replicate that lifelong partnership in his own life.
Bill and Melinda’s story began in 1987 when Melinda joined Microsoft as a product manager. Their shared professional and personal interests gradually blossomed into a relationship, culminating in a wedding in Hawaii in 1994. Throughout their marriage, they raised three children and collaborated on major philanthropic efforts, most notably the founding of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000. The foundation grew to become one of the largest private charitable organizations in the world, committed to combating poverty, disease, and inequity globally.
Recalling their years together, Gates shared intimate reflections on their dynamic as a couple. “I encouraged Melinda to be a little calmer than my mother was, but we were both quite driven,” he said. “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.”
His voice, tinged with nostalgia, carried a deep sense of loss. “I believe there is a certain wonderfulness to spending your entire adult life with one person,” he noted, “especially when you share children together, as well as fond memories and shared projects.”
According to Gates, when he and Melinda first met, he had already achieved significant success — but not the towering wealth and influence that would follow. Melinda, he emphasized, was by his side through those transformative years, witnessing the ascent of Microsoft and the birth of their philanthropic legacy.
The dissolution of their marriage, he said, was emotionally grueling. “The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years,” Gates admitted. “It’s the mistake I most regret.”
Adding to the sorrow was Melinda’s decision to leave the foundation in May 2024 — a move that deeply disappointed Gates. “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,” he said.
Despite the personal and professional rupture, the two remain connected through their shared family. “Melinda and I still see each other — we have three kids and two grandchildren, so there are family events,” he shared. “The kids are doing well. They have good values.”
When asked if his divorce was his only major failure in life, Gates didn’t hesitate. “You would have to put that at the top of the list. There are others, but none that matter.”
His remarks reveal a rare glimpse into the private emotional world of one of the most high-profile figures of our time — a man who, despite his towering achievements, continues to wrestle with the pain of personal loss and the complexities of love, partnership, and regret.
