How did Bill Gates and Melinda Gates meet? Ex-Microsoft CEO calls divorce with his ex wife a "mistake"

Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates called his divorce from ex-wife Melinda Gates a "mistake" he regrets in his latest interview. The couple split in 2021 after 27 years of married life and three children.

In an interview with The Times London (published January 25), Bill Gates reflected on his divorce from Melinda French Gates, calling it a regretful decision.

"The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years. That was the mistake I most regret. You would have to put that at the top of the list. There are others but none that matter."

Bill Gates first met Melinda French in 1987, when the latter joined Microsoft as a product manager. The two first interacted at a sales meeting in New York City, after which Gates asked her out on a date in the parking lot. French initially turned him down.

The two soon began a relationship and were engaged in 1993. After eight years of dating, they married in Hawaii in 1994. The couple's first child, a daughter named Jennifer, was born in 1996. Their son Rory was born in 1999, followed by another daughter, Phoebe, in 2002.

In May 2021, the couple announced their divorce on social media. In May 2024, Melinda Gates quit the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which they formed together in 2000.

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Bill Gates reveals he wanted to replicate his parents' 45-year marriage with Melinda Gates

Bill And Melinda Gates Awarded Fulbright Prize For Int'l Understanding (Image via Getty)

In his interview with The Times, Bill Gates said he wanted to replicate his parents' successful 45-year marriage with his ex-wife, Melinda Gates.

"I encouraged Melinda to be a little calmer than my mother was, but we were both quite driven. 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."

Gates mentioned a "certain wonderfulness" associated with spending almost all of one's "adult life with one person," especially when they share children. He added that his ex-wife was with him when he wasn't as successful as he is today, and his success came while they were together.

"When Melinda and I met, I was fairly successful but not ridiculously successful — that came during the time that we were together. So, she saw me through a lot. When we got divorced, it was tough and then she made the decision to leave the foundation [Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation] — I was disappointed that she took the option to go off," Gates said.

He further shared that his divorce from Melinda Gates was a difficult time for him for the last four years. However, he has become "more cheerful" over time. Gates added that he still sees his ex-wife at family gatherings.

“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," Bill Gates said.

In March 2022, Melinda Gates opened up about her divorce from Bill Gates in an exclusive talk with CBS Mornings' Gayle King. She said that she shares a "working relationship" with the ex-CEO, although she is yet to be completely healed. The philanthropist mentioned that it will take some time for her to be friends with her ex-husband again.

Speaking to the Sunday Times in May 2022, Bill Gates admitted to having a "great marriage" with Melinda Gates, despite saying he is still grieving.

"Every marriage as the kids leave the house will go through a transition. Mine sadly went through this transition called divorce. But from my point of view, it was a great marriage. I wouldn't have changed it," he said.

The former couple has not shared any reasons behind their split. However, in an interview with Fortune magazine in October 2022, Melinda Gates claimed that there were "some reasons" why she could not stay in the marriage "anymore."

She said the COVID-19 pandemic gave her privacy and clarity to think about her decision. The divorce, she admitted, was "unbelievably painful," but she had the "privacy to get through it."

The former couple has come together several times over the last few years, including for their eldest daughter Jennifer's wedding in October 2021 and their youngest daughter Phoebe's 21st birthday in September 2023.

In May 2024, the philanthropist resigned from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with Bill Gates thanking her for her contribution via a LinkedIn post. Bill Gates is now reportedly dating Paula Hurd, the widow of ex-Oracle executive Marc Hurd. Meanwhile, Melinda Gates was linked to Philip Vaughn in 2024.