Unknown nuggets from Bill Gates and Melinda Gates's marriage have been emerging ever since the Microsoft founder called the end of his marriage the "mistake he would most regret." Melinda, on the other hand, reacted to his comment with 'divorces are painful' remark in an interview with Elle, adding "it’s not something I would wish on any family." The couple share three children - Jennifer, 28, Rory, 25, and Phoebe, 22.
In her forthcoming book The Next Day, Melinda shared the exact moment when she told her then husband about wanting to live separately
It happened during a New Mexico trip in February 2020 that she originally planned to take alone but later invited Bill Gates to, Melinda wrote in the book.
She realised that the rental home they were staying in was only available because the couple who lived there had separated. While the duo treated it just like any other vacation, on the last night of the trip, Melinda dropped the bomb and told him she wanted to start living apart.
She also proposed to stay with their youngest daughter, Phoebe - who was a senior in high school at the time - in their Seattle home until she finished school.
How Bill reacted
Melinda also wrote about Bill Gates's reaction to the conversation.
“It was one of the scariest conversations I’d have had,” she wrote in an excerpt obtained by People. She recalled that the former Microsoft CEO was “sad and upset” but also “understanding and respectful.”
The divorce talk
It took some time before the final divorce talk. The couple continued supporting the Gates Foundation jointly. Melinda then took a tough decision to finally end her 27-year marriage.
The couple had a long and occasionally “tender” chat when Melinda told Bill that she wanted a divorce.
“Bill has a reputation for being one of the toughest negotiators in the world,” she wrote, and she started having panic attacks.
While the process of finalizing their divorce was “grueling” and lengthy, she wrote, but once the agreement was reached, things moved quickly. She apparently walked away with $6.3 billion worth of Microsoft stock, and her net worth is an estimated $30 million, according to Forbes
After this, they told some people close to their foundation about their decision and on May 3, 2021, they posted a joint statement about their separation.
Melinda hinted that Bill's friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and loss of trust over his alleged affair with a Microsoft employee may have affected their marriage.
In her forthcoming book The Next Day, Melinda shared the exact moment when she told her then husband about wanting to live separately
It happened during a New Mexico trip in February 2020 that she originally planned to take alone but later invited Bill Gates to, Melinda wrote in the book.
She realised that the rental home they were staying in was only available because the couple who lived there had separated. While the duo treated it just like any other vacation, on the last night of the trip, Melinda dropped the bomb and told him she wanted to start living apart.
She also proposed to stay with their youngest daughter, Phoebe - who was a senior in high school at the time - in their Seattle home until she finished school.
How Bill reacted
Melinda also wrote about Bill Gates's reaction to the conversation.
“It was one of the scariest conversations I’d have had,” she wrote in an excerpt obtained by People. She recalled that the former Microsoft CEO was “sad and upset” but also “understanding and respectful.”
The divorce talk
It took some time before the final divorce talk. The couple continued supporting the Gates Foundation jointly. Melinda then took a tough decision to finally end her 27-year marriage.
The couple had a long and occasionally “tender” chat when Melinda told Bill that she wanted a divorce.
“Bill has a reputation for being one of the toughest negotiators in the world,” she wrote, and she started having panic attacks.
While the process of finalizing their divorce was “grueling” and lengthy, she wrote, but once the agreement was reached, things moved quickly. She apparently walked away with $6.3 billion worth of Microsoft stock, and her net worth is an estimated $30 million, according to Forbes
After this, they told some people close to their foundation about their decision and on May 3, 2021, they posted a joint statement about their separation.
Melinda hinted that Bill's friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and loss of trust over his alleged affair with a Microsoft employee may have affected their marriage.
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