Bill Gates has made new comments about alleged infidelity during his nearly three-decade long marriage to Melinda Gates. When asked by journalist Savannah Guthrie if he’d been unfaithful, he addressed the allegations and said it isn’t “constructive” to go into details. “I certainly made mistakes and I take responsibility,” he said told TODAY on the Tuesday, May 3 program. “I don’t think delving into the particulars at this point is constructive, but yes, I caused pain, and I feel terrible about that.”
The philanthropist, 66, and his ex-wife, 57, announced their split in a joint statement in May 2021, via Bill’s Twitter account. And while the Moment of Lift author calls the separation “sad,” he says they are “working together” going forward. “The divorce is definitely a sad thing,” he said. “I have responsibility for causing a lot of pain to my family. It was a tough year. I feel good that all of us are moving forward now. Melinda and I are continuing to work together. It was sad and tragic, but now we’re moving together.”
During the comprehensive interview, Bill, who is currently promoting his new book How to Prevent the Next Pandemic, also called attention to the positive aspects of the couple’s famous union. “We had a lot of amazing things in our marriage. The kids, the foundation, the enjoyment we had. And so it’s a very hard adjustment.” Acknowledging the difficulty of a split after so long and considering their three children, Jennifer, 26, Rory, 22, and Phoebe, 19 he said he and Melinda “grew up” together. “I know divorces are different, but it’s just a complete change,” he told Savannah during the interview. “We were partners, we kind of grew up together, and now that’s different. We’re not married.”
The comments are not the first acknowledgment Bill has made on the subject — his 2020 resignation from the Microsoft board of directors came after an allegation that he sought a relationship with an employee back in 2000. In May of 2021, his spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal in a statement later confirmed by HollywoodLife,“There was an affair almost 20 years ago which ended amicably. Bill’s decision to transition off the board was in no way related to this matter. In fact, he had expressed an interest in spending more time on his philanthropy starting several years earlier.”
Bill and Melinda were married in 1994, and their divorce was finalized in August 2021. “Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all to lead healthy, productive lives,” their May 3, 2021, Twitter statement said in part.
