London: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently opened up like never before.
Talking about his divorce from Melinda Gates after 27 years of marriage, Bill said it was his biggest regret.
“That was the mistake I most regret,” the 69-year-old Bill said in an interview with The Times on Saturday.
The tech pioneer revealed that he had “absolutely” hoped to emulate his parents’ 45-year marriage.
“I encouraged Melinda to be a bit 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 of the parenting. We had a wonderful time,” he said.
“There’s something extraordinary about spending your entire adult life with one person. The shared memories, the depth of what you’ve accomplished together, and having children — it’s all quite special. When Melinda and I met, I was already fairly successful, but not outrageously so… that happened during our time together. She stood by me through it all,” Bill remarked.
Bill met Melinda in 1987, when she joined Microsoft as an employee. After getting married in 1994, they co-founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
They have three children — Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe.
“When we divorced, it was incredibly difficult. Then she chose to step away from the foundation, which I found disheartening,” Bill confessed.
Bill and Melinda, 60, announced their separation in May 2021, and their divorce was finalised in August 2021.
For Bill, the divorce was one of his greatest failings. “It has to be at the top of the list. There are others, but none that compare. The divorce was miserable for both Melinda and me for at least two years,” he noted.
Now, the billionaire philanthropist feels “more cheerful.”
