Bill Gates Was Reportedly Nasty Toward Melinda Before Their Divorce

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At first glance, Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates' 2021 divorce announcement seemed to come out of nowhere. Little by little, however, details revealed that there had been a lot going on behind the scenes. In her memoir, "The Next Day," Melinda revealed that her desire to separate began in late 2019, and by February 2020, she informed Bill and began putting those plans into motion.

However, some think the difficulties started further back. In 2026, one individual dished about toxic behavior that she claimed to observe firsthand. "[Melinda] would try to say something that was very relevant and [Bill] was like, 'I'm talking!'" this insider reported to the Daily Mail. "I think that's just how he was with everyone, but it was kind of cringe, like, don't shush your wife." Unfortunately, this dynamic supposedly occurred repeatedly throughout Bill and Melinda's relationship. Throughout the nine years they worked together at Microsoft, Bill was reportedly domineering during work discussions, too. 

While revelations like these might help people try to make sense of how the couples' 27-year marriage broke down, they likely aren't helping the healing process. Rumors of Bill's cheating and affair drama started circulating in the media soon after their divorce announcement. Years later, some allegations continued hanging around, much to Melinda's dismay. "For me, it's personally hard whenever those details come up," Melinda informed NPR's "Wild Card" podcast in 2026. "Brings back memories of some very, very painful times in my marriage."

Although the divorce process was full of emotional upheaval, Melinda French Gates' account of her initial divorce conversation with Bill Gates in "The Next Day" sounds markedly different from that reported dinner party exchange: "We had a long conversation — respectful, not rancorous, even a little tender in moments ... " In addition, even though Bill's interrupting might have been off-putting to bystanders, what really led to the Gates' divorce was far more serious in Melinda's eyes. She prioritized trust and honesty. When she felt these qualities lacking in her marriage, refused to tolerate their absence.

Years later, Melinda appears to be better off without Bill Gates. In April 2025, when she was out promoting "The Next Day," Melinda revealed that her love life was flourishing (although she declined to divulge any details). Bill moved on even earlier, dating Paula Hurd beginning in early 2023. 

However, even as she moves forward in life, Melinda's been honest that she's still contending with parts of her past relationship. When the topic of forgiveness and Bill came up on NPR's "Wild Card," Melinda admitted, "That's a work in progress." Although she declined to share specifics, a few moments earlier in the interview she noted that successful forgiving is extremely important to her. "But ultimately, I really seek forgiveness with everybody because if you can't eventually forgive somebody, then you hurt yourself I think, right?" Melinda explained. "And I don't want to live my life hurting myself."