Melinda French Gates has indicated that despite initially trying to save her marriage, it was Bill Gates's confirmed infidelity that ultimately pushed her to end their decades-long relationship.
What Happened: Speaking on Elizabeth Day's "How to Fail" podcast that was posted on YouTube earlier this week, French Gates opened up about the personal turmoil she endured before deciding to divorce the Microsoft Corporation co-founder.
"When that voice would come—and it would come at different times because of things that had happened outside the marriage that I would later come to learn about—I kept pushing it away," she said.
French Gates explained that she and Bill had a solid foundation and deep professional alignment through the Gates Foundation, which decided to separate even more difficult.
See Also: Melinda French Gates Talks About Navigating Panic Attacks And Personal Reinvention After Microsoft
"I believed in that work," she said. "It wasn't just two of us involved, it was five of us," referring to their three children: Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe Gates.
Still, after learning of Gates's infidelity—something he publicly acknowledged later—she said she could no longer ignore the truth. "At some point, I had to turn towards it and I just knew it and I knew it in my soul," she said.
Despite the emotional weight of the divorce, French Gates reflected on the love they once shared. "It's two people who've come together, hopefully in love — and in my case, I would definitely say that — so then the pulling it apart later is really hard."
Why It's Important: The couple, once considered a philanthropic power duo, finalized their divorce in 2021 after 27 years of marriage.
In 2022, on the first anniversary of their divorce announcement, the Microsoft co-founder addressed allegations of an affair, admitting he "made mistakes" and taking responsibility for causing pain to his family, reported The Guardian.
He described the divorce as sad and said they are moving forward while continuing to work together. He declined to share more details about the affair.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, French Gates has an estimated net worth of $16.6 billion, whereas Bill's net worth stands at $124 billion.
Read Next:
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY via Imagn
