Melinda French Gates revealed she ‘had to leave’ her billionaire ex-husband Bill Gates due to a lack of honesty and ‘intimacy.’
The 60-year-old philanthropist candidly discussed her 27-year marriage with the Microsoft founder on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Monday night.
Melinda, who famously split from Bill Gates in 2021, recently stepped back into the spotlight to promote her new memoir.
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Missing essentials: Melinda Gates said her and her ex-husband Bill Gates’s marriage lacked honesty and intimacy
Melinda told Stephen that her relationship lacked trust and honesty, forcing her to leave.
She said: ‘I learned to have a trusted relationship, which is what I wanted in marriage, both partners have to be honest with one another.
‘And if you can’t, you can’t have intimacy and you can’t have trust. So in the end, I had to go.’
She did not reveal what caused the lack of trust in their marriage, but has previously admitted that her ex-husband’s friendship with disgraced Jeffrey Epstein was a driving factor for their split.
Bill has refused to say whether he was unfaithful to Melinda, but previously admitted he ‘certainly made mistakes’ in their marriage and claimed to ‘take responsibility.’
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Past love: Bill and Melinda famously divorced in 2021
Melinda confirmed that she is actively dating and said the experience has been ‘pretty great.’
On Sunday, the day before her TV appearance the philanthropist was snapped heading to a Broadway show with her new lover, tech investor Philip Vaughn, on Sunday.
The couple was seen arriving at Winter Garden Theater to watch George Clooney’s new Broadway production, Good Night, and Good Luck.
Melinda looked stylish in a navy blue belted Louis Vuitton wool coat which retails for nearly $5,000, over a black leather dress and $1,200 Valentino studded stilettos.
Vaughn, the Seattle-based founder of craft beer delivery company Tavour, looked smart in a gray suit and brown shoes.
The pair, whose relationship was first reported in October, appeared besotted with each other, laughing and smiling as they entered the venue hand-in-hand.
The following morning Melinda kicked off her New York City press tour for her new book, with an appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America.
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Opening up: Melinda’s candid chat come during her appearance on the Late Show on Monday
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New love: The philanthropist was recently pictured heading to a Broadway show with her new lover, Philip Vaughn
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The family: Melinda said she is focused on her 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren and grand𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren following her high-profile divorce
Speaking on her decision to write about her divorce, Melinda told the hosts: ‘It was important because if I’m going to be my most authentic self, people knew I had gone through it.
‘It is a big transition. And for me, while it was painful for sure, I ended up learning some lessons and there was some growth in there, too.’
Bill, 69, has since moved on with Paula Hurd, the widow of the former Oracle CEO Mark Hurd. The two began dating in 2022.
Up until now, Melinda had remained largely diplomatic and had rarely spoken publicly about her ex and their failed marriage.
Earlier this month she told People: ‘Naturally, Bill and I see each other every now and then at family events, such as graduations.
‘When we do, it’s friendly.’
The bombshell divorce between Melinda and Bill, finalized in August 2021, came after she reportedly struggled with his links to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in his jail cell while awaiting trial in 2019.
Melinda has previously said the friendship was a factor in her pushing for divorce.
Bill has said he deeply regrets spending time with Epstein but has never been accused of any wrongdoing in relation to the predator.
Following their high-profile split, Melinda and Bill both remained based in Seattle, while their 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren Jennifer, 28, Rory, 25, and Phoebe, 22, moved to the East Coast.
Melinda said: ‘One of the most important things in my life is being present for the big moments in my 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren’s – and now my grand𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren’s – lives.’
