Radar Online
Bill Gates‘ ex-wife Melinda French Gates isn’t holding back now that their $130 billion divorce has been finalized. The newly single philanthropist sat down for her first TV interview since their split to open up about the crumble of their 27-year marriage and the cheating scandal that rocked Silicon Valley.
Addressing her high-profile divorce from the Microsoft co-founder, Melinda addressed the painful experience during an interview with CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King. The duo wed in 1994 and share three adult children — Jennifer, 25, Rory, 22, and Phoebe, 18. Melinda and Bill announced their shocking plans to divorce in May.
Revealing she cried “a lot of tears for many days,” Melinda said her emotions got the best of her. At one point, she couldn’t even get off the floor. “How can this be? How can I get up? How am I gonna move forward?” she recalled asking herself repeatedly.
Like most divorcées, Melinda says she went through all the motions, including being angry at Bill. “That’s part of the grieving process,” she told King. “You’re grieving a loss of something you thought you had and thought you had for your lifetime.” When asked about her then-husband admitting he cheated during their marriage, Melinda claims she’s forgiven him, but she hasn’t forgotten.
“I certainly believe in forgiveness, so I thought we had worked through some of that,” she stated, adding his affair wasn’t the only reason their marriage ended. “It wasn’t one moment or one specific thing that happened. There just came a point in time where there was enough there that I realized it just wasn’t healthy, and I couldn’t trust what we had.”
As Radar reported, Bill admitted to having an affair with a Microsoft employee. The infidelity happened 20 years ago but was fresh news in the press due to their split.
Despite the pain, Melinda isn’t holding a grudge. She told King that she simply wants to move on.
“I mean, this is painful stuff,” the billionaire continued. “And 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. I mean, it’s 2022 and I’m actually really excited about what’s to come and life ahead for me.”
They wrapped up the end of their marriage quickly. Bill and Melinda finalized their divorce in August less than three months after announcing their split.
Melinda’s full interview with CBS airs on Thursday.
