Melinda French Gates has shared her honest response after her ex-husband, Bill Gates, made a tragic confession about their divorce.
The pair's divorce was finalised in 2021 after 27 years of marriage with the former Microsoft CEO, 69, opening up to the Sunday Times in a January interview about how the marriage ended.
Bill - who shares three children; Jennifer, 28, Rory, 25, and Phoebe, 22 with Melinda - said that while he is 'more cheerful now', the divorce was the 'mistake' he 'most regretted' as he described it as being at 'the top of the list' in terms of life failures.
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Despite claiming to be on good terms with Melinda, he noted that 'the divorce thing was miserable' over its two-year duration.
He added: "There are others, but none that matter."
The father-of-three said there is a 'certain wonderfulness to spending your entire adult life with one person'.
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"When Melinda and I met, I was fairly successful but not ridiculously successful - that came during the time that we were together," he continued. "So, she saw me through a lot. 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."
Bill noted that the two still see each other often given the fact they share three children together, adding: "We have three kids and two grandchildren so there are family events.
"The kids are doing well. They have good values."
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In a new interview with Elle published on Monday (17 March), Melinda, 60, has since come forward to share her feelings about the divorce.
"Look, divorces are painful, and it’s not something I would wish on any family," the former Microsoft employee shared, noting that leaving her marriage was both one of the hardest and most important things she’s ever done.
It seems that Melinda has been able to find romance once again after being linked to entrepreneur Philip Vaughn last October.
When the interviewer asked if, in five years from now someone Googled her, what she hoped they’d find, Melinda responded: "She’s thriving on the other side of a divorce.
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"Just thriving."
"A woman should have her full voice, her full decision-making authority. It’s nice to have that," she added elsewhere in the interview.
Bill has also seemingly likewise moved on from the divorce as he's been dating Paula Hurd, the widow of Oracle CEO Mark Hurd, for over two years now.
Melinda and Bill tied the knot in 1994, and while neither one have ever revealed the real reason behind their divorce, he previously admitted that he cheated on his ex-wife with an employee.
Topics: Celebrity, Technology, US News
Rhiannon Ingle