Cheating Rumors & Affair Drama That Destroyed Bill Gates' Marriage To Melinda

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Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates were a couple for 34 years. In 1987, they just happened to be sitting at the same table for a Microsoft event. The spark was lit, and Bill eventually asked Melinda on a date. Their bonded deepened as they discussed books, music, and enjoyed cozy activities. "We had puzzle contests and played math games," Melinda recalled in her book "The Moment of Lift." "I think he got intrigued when I beat him at a math game." After a seven-year relationship, they married in 1994. According to Melinda's book, Bill seemed surprised to be embarking on this milestone. "Amazingly, she makes me feel like getting married," he declared as they planned their big day.

Every marriage has its ups and downs. Unfortunately, in Bill and Melinda's case, difficulties became insurmountable. For Melinda, the decision was years in the making. After feeling particularly stressed about her marriage, she suggested separation in 2020. "As angry as I was ... I was still worried about what this would do to the man who had been my partner in life," Melinda explained in her memoir "The Next Day."

In 2021 they announced they were divorcing. "We no longer believe we can grow together as a couple," Melinda and Bill explained in a post on X. However, given the length of their relationship — and the eyebrow-raising details of Bill's personal life that have come out — it's not surprising their situation was a lot more complicated.

Sadly, one incident that caused damage to Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates' marriage was Bill's infidelity. "There was an affair almost 20 years ago which ended amicably," Bridgitt Arnold, Bill's spokesperson, informed The New York Times in May 2021. Although the news had not been widespread in the media until after the couple announced their divorce, it had been a topic of legal discussion at Microsoft since 2019. While the person's name was not divulged, this individual worked for Gates.

While it's not clear if Melinda had known about the affair prior to 2019, it appears that it wasn't a dealbreaker, and the couple had endeavored to work together to mend their relationship. "I certainly believe in forgiveness. I thought we had worked through some of that," Melinda informed CBS News in March 2022. However, as difficulties accumulated, their situation became insurmountable for her. "There was enough there that I realized it just wasn't healthy, I couldn't trust what we had," Melinda confided.

Even so, Melinda gradually eased them into the process of ending their marriage. After months of being separated, she broached the topic of divorce. Despite their struggles, it was an emotionally agonizing process for both her and Bill. "The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years," Bill informed The Times in 2025. "That was the mistake I most regret." Marriage to Melinda, though, is something that Bill has said he doesn't regret in the slightest. 

Before Melinda French Gates married Bill Gates, she was one of his employees. While it's not at all surprising to meet a significant other through work, it was rumored that Bill later looked to his business as a source of potential affairs. "Well into his marriage it was not unusual for Gates to flirt with women and pursue them, making unwanted advances such as asking a Microsoft employee out to dinner," Anupreeta Das wrote in "Billionaire, Nerd, Savior, King: Bill Gates and His Quest to Shape Our World" (via the Daily Mail). Bill's schedule was purportedly opaque, leaving room for speculation as to what he might be doing during the work day. Some employees derived symbolism from Bill's vehicle choice, theorizing that he used his Porsche for clandestine activities. 

However, other than the one affair that Bill admitted to publicly via his spokesperson, these other claims remain unsubstantiated. Those who had come forward were people who declined Bill's suggestions to meet up. When Melinda was asked for specifics about these other affair allegations during her 2022 interview with CBS News, she declined to get involved in the discussion. "I think those are questions Bill needs to answer," Melinda explained.

Another point of friction within Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates' marriage was Bill's connection to Jeffrey Epstein. A 2019 investigation in The New York Times claimed that Bill and Epstein's connection lasted from 2011 to 2014. According to Bill, he was motivated by possible philanthropy opportunities. However, Bill later admitted to CNN, "It was a huge mistake to spend time with him." Bill explained that he cut ties after Epstein's philanthropy claims didn't materialize.

Unfortunately, the damage had already been done to Bill's marriage. From the start, Melinda was upset about her husband's contact with Epstein. Her discontent grew after she accompanied Bill and formed her own impressions of Epstein. Melinda immediately realized she had made an error. "He was evil personified," Melinda informed CBS News. Beyond her initial disgust, Melinda was traumatized by the encounter with Epstein. "I had nightmares about it afterwards."

In 2019, the combo of Microsoft's legal dealings involving Bill's affair and the public reveal of Bill's connection to Epstein proved to be more than Melinda could bear. In her book. "The Next Day," Melinda described how her mental conflict played out as she slept. She had disturbing nightmares about her family's home collapsing around her and saw herself being separated, leading her to determine that she needed to end her marriage. "That was, to be honest, a terrifying thing to contemplate," she wrote. However, she followed her instincts and began the difficult process.