Bill Gates has opened up about his highly publicised divorce from Melinda French Gates, calling it “the mistake I regret the most.” In a candid interview with The Times of London published on January 25, 2025, the Microsoft co-founder, now 69, spoke emotionally about the 2021 split, his regrets, and the deep impact it had on him.
Gates revealed that one of his most significant goals in life had been to replicate the long-lasting marriage of his parents, who were married for 45 years. He said he had encouraged Melinda to take a calmer approach to parenting, in contrast to his mother’s more active role in their family life. Despite this, Gates admitted that he and Melinda were driven individuals, each striving to balance their demanding careers with raising their three children. “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,” Gates shared. Despite the challenges, he fondly remembers their time as a family, describing it as “a great time.”
Reflecting on the nature of their relationship, Gates emphasised the beauty of spending a lifetime with one person, especially when that journey includes raising children together and working on shared projects. “There’s a certain wonderfulness to spending your entire adult life with one person,” he explained. “When Melinda and I met, I was fairly successful but not ridiculously successful. That came during the time that we were together.”
Despite the immense success they experienced together, their marriage came to an end after 27 years, and the process was far from easy. Gates confessed that it was a difficult time for both him and Melinda, especially when she decided to leave the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a decision he admitted to being disappointed by. “I was disappointed that she took the option to go off,” he told the publication.
When asked if the divorce was the only failure he considered in his life, Gates admitted that it topped the list. “You would have to put that at the top of the list,” he said. “There are others but none that matter.” The pain of the divorce, which continued for at least two years, was evident in his words as he explained how the experience had impacted him deeply. However, in the nearly four years since their split, Gates shared that he has become “more cheerful,” but the divorce remains “the mistake I most regret.”
Despite their separation, Gates and Melinda continue to maintain a cordial relationship for the sake of their children and grandchildren. Gates expressed that they still see each other during family events, where they both take pride in how well their children are doing. “The kids are doing well. They have good values,” Gates remarked.
While the divorce marked a painful chapter in Gates’s life, it also serves as a reminder of the complexities of personal relationships, even for the most successful and influential individuals. Gates’s openness about his regrets adds a human element to his public persona, illustrating that even those who have achieved monumental success are not immune to life’s challenges.
As Gates continues to navigate this new phase in his life, his reflections serve as a testament to the importance of relationships, family, and the lessons learned through both success and failure.
