Melinda Gates Reacts to Bill Gates Calling Their Divorce a Mistake

Melinda French Gates doesn’t view her divorce as a miscalculation.

The Pivotal Ventures founder shared her reaction to ex Bill Gates saying that their divorce was the “mistake I most regret.”

“You’ve clearly Googled more than I have,” Melinda told Elle’s 2025 Women of Impact issue with an eye roll in an interview published March 17, with the outlet noting it took place back in January, when Bill’s comments started to make headlines. “Look, divorces are painful, and it’s not something I would wish on any family.”

The philanthropist—who shares kids Jennifer Gates Nassar, 28, Rory Gates, 25, and Phoebe Gates, 22, with the Microsoft cofounder—added that leaving her marriage was one of the most difficult, but important things that she’s done in her life.

Melinda’s response comes after Bill admitted that ending his 27-year marriage in 2021 is “at the top of the list” of the biggest mistakes in his life.

“There are others but none that matter,” he told The Times in an interview published Jan. 25. “The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years.”