Melinda Gates Opens Up About Divorce And Betrayal Months After Bill Gates Shared His Regrets

Melinda Gates has shed more light on her divorce from billionaire ex-husband Bill Gates and how Jeffrey Epstein played a significant role in their separation.

The Gates Foundation co-founder dove into her highly publicized split from the business mogul in her new memoir "The Next Day." She claimed her former partner's dealings with the late convicted sex offender opened her eyes to the problems in their marriage.

Melinda and Bill Gates appeared to be the perfect elitist couple for over two decades, welcoming three wonderful children. However, their rosy lives came crashing down with the fall of Jeffrey Epstein and the billionaire's alleged infidelity.

Melinda did not hold back in her new memoir, revealing her emotional health became unstable following the revelation of Bill's relationship with Epstein. She alleged the news resulted in nightmares, which she eventually realized were linked to her broken marriage.

The philanthropist stressed that Bill's relationship with the sex offender affected her deeply, writing: "That October, things had reached a fever pitch when The New York Times published a deeply disturbing article that raised serious questions about Bill's conduct."

"Questions that suggested he had betrayed not only our marriage but also my values," Melinda lamented in her book.

This isn't the first time she has addressed the aftermath of Bill's relationship with Epstein. Page Six reported she once claimed the duo's friendship had driven a wedge between them in a 2022 interview, saying:

"I did not like that he had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, no. I made that clear to him…He was abhorrent. He was evil personified. My heart breaks for these women."

In her book, Melinda confessed that taking the divorce route wasn't easy, even though it was a necessary step to start anew.

She described leaving Bill as "one of the hardest and most important things" she had ever done. The scathing article she referenced in her memoir unveiled her ex-husband's ties to Epstein and his alleged infidelity.

According to the article, Bill met Epstein on "numerous occasions," with their first meeting sparking an email from the businessman to his colleagues in 2011. "His lifestyle is very different and kind of intriguing, although it would not work for me," Bill noted in the mail.

Despite his claims, he reportedly kept meeting Epstein until their 2017 fallout over the latter's multibillion-dollar charitable fund with JPMorgan Chase. The late sex offender wanted Bill to join the fund and threatened to expose his alleged affair with Russian bridge player Mila Antonova if he refused.

Months before Melinda addressed her dislike for Bill and Epstein's friendship, her ex-husband confessed he regretted hanging out with the late convict. The Blast covered the story, reporting Bill admitted he was "foolish" for spending time with Epstein.

Bill claimed he linked himself with Epstein, hoping their connection would benefit his global health philanthropic efforts. Unfortunately, their relationship did more harm than good, with the Microsoft co-founder labeling their union "a huge mistake."

The business mogul reportedly met Epstein for the first time after the latter did time for soliciting prostitution involving a minor.

At the time, sources claimed Bill's relationship with the convict created tension in his marriage to Melinda. "Epstein is definitely a sore spot. That's a long time for issues to fester," an insider alleged.

Bill's "foolish" relationship with Epstein wasn't his only regret, as he opened up about his divorce from Melinda in January. Before lamenting about his ties to the late sex offender, The Blast reported the billionaire got emotional during an interview while addressing his split from his ex-wife.

The philanthropist labeled his divorce "the mistake I regret the most in my life," noting there were other mistakes, "but this one stands above all." He recalled the split being a "miserable" experience for him and Melinda, noting the pain lasted "at least two years."

Fortunately, the former couple were able to bounce back and have since found love again with their respective partners. Bill noted they had a cordial relationship, saying, "Melinda and I still see each other — we have three kids and two grandchildren, so there are family events."

Bill's 2025 interview wasn't the first time he had gotten vulnerable about his divorce from Melinda. He acknowledged his role in the duo's infamous split in a 2022 discussion with Savannah Guthrie.

Although he did not get into the details, Bill accepted he had hurt Melinda, saying: "I certainly made mistakes, and I take responsibility. I don't think delving into the particulars at this point is constructive, but yes, I caused pain, and I feel terrible about that."

Bill and Melinda Gates tied the knot in 1994, with the businessman crediting their marriage for keeping him "grounded" during the creation and growth of his billion-dollar company. They welcomed three children: daughters Jennifer Gates Nassar and Phoebe Gates and son Rory Gates.

Will there ever come a day when Melinda Gates can fully forgive her ex-husband for betraying her trust?