Bill Gates said divorcing his wife Melinda is the 'biggest regret' of his life in a rare, candid interview.
The billionaire Microsoft co-founder, 69, admitted his 2021 divorce with his wife of 27 years is 'at the top of the list' of his failures during a interview with the Times of London, published on Saturday.
'That was the mistake I most regret... there are others, but none that matter. The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years,' he said.
His marriage, he said, had kept 'grounded' as he brought his now trillion-dollar company to life.
The pair are now amicable, but rumors of infidelity plagued Bill in the immediate aftermath of the divorce announcement.
'I certainly made mistakes, and I take responsibility,' he said in 2023, without expanding.
Bill said they see each other often at family events and gatherings of that nature as they share three kids, Jennifer, 28, Rory, 25, and Phoebe, 22, and two grandchildren.
The billionaire Microsoft co-founder, 69, admitted his 2021 divorce with his wife of 27 years is 'at the top of the list' of his failures
Melinda apparently knew of Gates' 'womanizing' even before their 1994 Hawaii wedding
'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 said.
The pair married in 1994 and separated secretly in May 2020. They announced their split the following year.
Melinda said time apart during the COVID-19 pandemic gave her clarity on the state of their marriage.
She said it was the 'healthier choice' for her to part ways.
She has since moved on with tech mogul Philip Vaughn.
Addressing her divorce, Melinda, 60, said time apart during the COVID-19 pandemic helped give her clarity about the state of her marriage.
'It gave us the privacy to do what needed to be done in private,' she said during a June 2024 interview.
The philanthropist and businesswoman, like her ex-husband, admitted it was the 'healthier choice' for her family and herself as she claims the divorce was the 'lowest moment' in her life.
During a 2022 interview with TODAY's Savannah Guthrie, Bill divulged his guilt and took responsibility for his action.
'I certainly made mistakes, and I take responsibility,' he said, adding, 'I don't think delving into the particulars at this point is constructive, but yes, I caused pain, and I feel terrible about that.'
The pair married in 1994 and separated secretly in May 2020. They announced their split the following year. They are pictured in 2000
Melinda Gates is off the market as she has been spotted flaunting her new romance with tech mogul Philip Vaughn
The 60-year-old was seen cozying up to the Seattle-based founder of beer company Tavour as they arrived in New York City after jetting over on a helicopter
His ex, who is now reportedly dating tech mogul Philip Vaughn, said that another factor that ultimately led to the end of their marriage was his relationship with Jeffery Epstein - an American serial sex trafficker, pedophile, and financier.
'I did not like that he had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, no. I made that clear to him,' she told American television personality, Gayle King in 2022.
'He was abhorrent. He was evil personified,' Melinda said of the convicted felon.
Melinda shockingly revealed her relationship with Vaughn in October 2024 as she was seen with the Seattle-based entrepreneur as they went to dinner in New York City.
Despite going through an 'unbelievably painful' divorce with Bill, Melinda put tensions aside when it came to Philip, who used to work at her ex's company.
Meanwhile, Bill has been dating Paula Hurd since 2023.
Hurd is the widow of former Oracle co-CEO and president Mark Hurd, who died at the age of 62 in 2019 after a reported battle with cancer.
Once a tech executive herself, Hurd is now an event planner and organizer, and philanthropist.
Bill Gates was pictured with his girlfriend Paula Hurd at this year's so-called billionaire's summer camp in Sun Valley, Idaho, in the summer
