Billionaire and former Microsoft executive Bill Gates has spoken openly about his 2021 divorce from Melinda French Gates, calling it “the mistake I regret the most.”

In an interview with The Times of London, the 69-year-old reflected on the challenges of their separation after 27 years of marriage.

Gates shared that one of his biggest personal goals was to replicate his parents' 45-year marriage. “There is a certain wonderfulness to spending your entire adult life with one person,” he said.

He recalled that while both he and Melinda were driven individuals, she took on the majority of parenting responsibilities. “The ratio was still 10:1, with Melinda doing most things for the kids.”

He also acknowledged the difficulty of their split, revealing that the divorce was a painful process for both of them. “The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years,” he admitted.

Melinda’s departure from foundation

Beyond their relationship, Gates also expressed disappointment over Melinda’s decision to step away from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in May 2024.

The non-profit, founded in 2000, has been instrumental in tackling global poverty and disease. “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.”

Co-parenting

Despite their separation, Gates emphasized that he and Melinda continue to see each other due to their shared family. The couple has three children—Jennifer (28), Rory (25), and Phoebe (22), as well as two grandchildren.

Gates has since moved on and is now dating Paula Hurd, the widow of former Oracle executive Mark Hurd. Meanwhile, Melinda has also spoken about her new life post-divorce, calling it “hard” but ultimately “wonderful” as she embraces new opportunities.

As for Gates, when asked if divorce was his only failure, he responded, “You would have to put that at the top of the list. There are others, but none that matter.”