Bill Gates and Melinda Gates’ quotes about marriage, divorce

Bill Gates and Gates of Melinda Married for more than two decades until their 2021 separation.

“After much thought and much work on our relationship, we have decided to end our marriage,” Melinda wrote in a statement shared that can. “For the past 27 years, we have raised three amazing children and built a foundation that works around the world so that all people can live healthy, productive lives.”

He added, “We continue to share a belief in that mission and continue our partnership in the foundation, but we no longer believe that we can grow as a couple in the next phase of our lives.”

Bill and Melinda tied the knot in 1994, almost 10 years after initially meeting when she was hired by his company at Microsoft. They started out as friends before entering into a romantic relationship.

“He has other girlfriends, and I have Microsoft,” Bill joked in 2019’s In Bill’s brain. “We were like, ‘Hey we don’t really take each other seriously, do we? We don’t ask each other on time.'”

Bill and Melinda, who left the eponymous incomparable in 2024, have three children: Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe. Keep scrolling for everything they had to say about marriage and divorce:

Years of Advice

Bill and Melinda have long been seen as a power couple.

“Also working together as a family, there is a certain motivation in that,” he said in a 2019 Facebook session. “But we’re very lucky because we mostly see things the same way, the goals are the same.”

The ‘lowest chance

Talked to ONE NOW In May 2022, Melinda described the moment she decided to end her marriage.

“My lowest moment in life was after the decision that I knew I had to leave my marriage,” she recalls. “That’s not something I thought would happen to me. It’s not really what I thought about the day I got married, but I realized for myself, I had to make a healthier choice, and that was a very , sad day.”

Learn to Show

After the pair finalized their divorce in 2021, Melinda detailed her new normal.

“It was incredibly painful, in countless ways, but I had the privacy to go through it,” he said wealth In October 2022. “I also continue to work with the person I moved to, and I have to show up and be my best self every day. So even though I might be crying at 9 in the morning and then I have to a 10 a.m. videoconference with the person I left, I had to show up and be my best. And I knew as a leader I could do it.”

Considered Affair Fallout

In the midst of the divorce, Bill was accused of infidelity.

“Divorce is definitely a sad thing. I have a responsibility for causing a lot of pain in my family,” he said TODAY Show in May 2022. “It’s been a difficult year. I feel good that everyone is talking now. I made mistakes and I take responsibility. I don’t think the details at this point are important, but yes I caused the pain and I feel terrible about it.”

While Bill inadvertently reveals whether he has been unfaithful, the accusations still hurt Melinda.

“Not a chance or a specific thing that happened,” He said CBS Mornings about what caused the explosion. “There was a point in time where there was enough that I knew it just wasn’t healthy and I couldn’t rely on what we had.”

‘Tough stuff’ he faced

“(The divorce) was the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through in my life,” Melinda said in a May 2024 episode of Jay Shettys podcast. “I thought I would be married for life. I thought I would be married 50-plus for many years, and suddenly, even though despite a lot of work and counseling, what you didn’t do.”

According to Melinda, she cannot go forward without “enough confidence.”

“I’ve never cried in my entire life,” she added. I pray for a lot of grace for myself, for my children (and) for the whole situation that we can make through any family behind the scenes. “

The foundation is abandoned

Melinda abandoned his role On the Board of the Gees’ Epect Foundation in June 2024.

“After careful thought and reflection, I have decided to resign from my role as a fellow at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,” he wrote via Instagram a month earlier. “My last day of work at the foundation is June 7.”

Melinda emphasized that she is “very proud” of the work the organization has done during her tenure.

“The time is right for me to move on to my next chapter in my Philanthropy,” he continued. “This is a critical moment for women and girls in the US and around the world – those who are fighting to protect and advance equality the support they need.”

Errors and failures

In a 2025 profile of The Times of LondonBill says their divorce “The mistake I regret.”

“The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years,” said Bill, who at first hoped that they might have rejected his lasting marriage with his parents. “I encouraged Melinda to be a little calmer than my mother, but we were both driven. I spent more time with the children than my father did, but the ratio was still 10, with Melinda doing most of the things for the kids. We had a great time.”

The Tech Mogul added, “There’s a certain wonder about spending your entire adult life with someone because of the memories and the depth of the things you’ve done and having kids together. When Melinda met, I’m successful but not ridiculously successful – that comes when we’re together. So, he sees me a lot.”

Normal for children

“Melinda and I still see each other – we have three children and two grandchildren are family events,” said Bill The Times of London In January 2025. “The children are good. They have good qualities.”