Melinda French is currently “thriving” after her 2021 divorce from Bill Gates, but healing wasn’t an overnight journey. The philanthropist–who was married to the former Microsoft CEO for 27 years–has stayed largely mum on their split, but she shared rare comments about the “painful” end of her marriage to Gates in a 2025 Elle Women of Impact interview.

In the new profile published March 17, French responded to the tech titan calling their breakup his “mistake I most regret” in a story with The Times, which was released around the same time her interview was conducted. When asked about his comments, French appeared to have a different outlook than her ex-husband, rolling her eyes and telling the publication, “You’ve clearly Googled more than I have.” She shared her thoughts about the “transition,” adding, “Look, divorces are painful, and it’s not something I would wish on any family.” 

French also got vulnerable as she shared she struggled with the bittersweet decision to leave Gates, calling it one of the “hardest and most important things” she’s ever done. 

Despite being romantically linked to entrepreneur Philip Vaughn last year, the Pivotal founder revealed that she’s been prioritizing herself and embracing single life. She told the publication that while she’s open to having a partner in the future, she’s putting herself and her work—which includes advocating for equality in women’s health research—first. 

“Again, I knew when I got divorced, I would be okay on my own. And I think that was the most important thing,” she shared. 

French also gives some rare insight into the final days of her marriage in her upcoming book Next Day, including revealing that she and Gates took a trip together to Santa Fe just months before she decided to divorce him. When they got to the home that they’d rented, she figured out that, based on photos on the walls, the couple that owned the home was no longer together. French revealed that she found herself Googling the couple to see what had happened to them.

When asked how someone who Googled her would find her five years from now, French had an optimistic prognosis, saying, “She’s thriving on the other side of a divorce. Just thriving.”