Bill and Melinda Gates shocked fans when they announced in May 2021 that their 27 year marriage was ending. Later reports alleged that Gates had an affair with a Microsoft employee and the billionaire Microsoft co-founder just admitted that he caused his wife pain during an interview with “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie.
“Were you unfaithful in your marriage? Was that one of the reasons there was the divorce?” Guthrie asked Bill during their conversation, which was mostly to promote the entrepreneur’s new book, “How to Prevent the Next Pandemic.”
“I certainly made mistakes, and I take responsibility,” the 66-year-old replied, as Page Six reported.
“I don’t think delving into the particulars at this point is constructive, but yes, I caused pain, and I feel terrible about that,” he continued.
Just after the Gates separated last year, Bill admitted to having “an affair almost 20 years ago” with a fellow Microsoft employee.
Melinda demurred when she was asked if her ex-husband was a serial cheater. “Those are questions Bill needs to answer,” the 66-year-old mom of three replied when asked about that on CBS Sunday Morning.
The “Moment of Lift” author delved into how she felt about all of it. “I think it’s really important to say, look, I had a lot of tears for many days,” she said, per Us Weekly.
“I mean, [I had] days where I’m literally laying on the floor and the carpet, you know, this close to me, thinking, ‘How can this be? How can I get up? How am I gonna move forward?’ And days I certainly was angry. That’s part of the grieving process. You’re grieving a loss of something you thought you had and thought you had for your lifetime. I mean, this is painful stuff.”
“At the end of the day, though, I started on this journey of healing, and I feel like I’m starting to get to the other side. And I do feel like I’m turning a page in the chapter now,” Melinda continued. “I mean, it’s 2022, and I’m actually really excited about what’s to come and life ahead for me.”
The couple wed in 1994 and welcomed three children together through the course of their marriage. They announced their separation in May via a Twitter statement.
“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” she wrote. “Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives. We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives.”