Melinda French Gates has a few more things to say, for now, about her divorce from Bill Gates.
The billionaire philanthropist, 60, is featured in Elle‘s annual women of impact feature, where she talks about her work supporting women around the world, looks back at her own life and journey and briefly comments on her split from the Microsoft co-founder, 69, with whom she shares three kids.
“Look, divorces are painful, and it’s not something I would wish on any family,” she told Elle when asked about her ex-husband’s recent comments lamenting how their relationship ended — something she insisted she hadn’t been focused on.
“You’ve clearly Googled more than I have,” French Gates said with an eyeroll when the writer pointed to her ex’s comments about regretting their divorce.
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Bill later clarified, saying that “despite the fact that the divorce wasn’t great, having those three kids, the work we were able to do together — even if I knew that it [wouldn’t] last forever, I would still do it again.”
On a personal note, when asked what she’d want somebody to find if they searched for updates on her down the line, French Gates replied that she’d want the public to see “she’s thriving on the other side of a divorce.”
As for her now, the Pivotal Ventures founder told Elle she is focused on her work while still making time for her personal life.
“I knew when I got divorced, I would be okay on my own,” she said. Indeed, she embarked on a so-called “freedom tour” with some friends in the wake of her split.
More recently, she has been photographed holding hands with businessman Philip Vaughn, though neither of them has confirmed a relationship.
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Next month, she will release The Next Day, a combination of memoir and advice in which she shares lessons about the “painful” and “exciting” changes from her own life.
“Over the last few years, I’ve experienced a lot of change — some of it exciting, some of it painful — so I’ve done a lot of thinking and learning about transitions,” she told PEOPLE last year. “I decided to start writing this while I was still in the middle of this season of change, rather than safely on the other side.”
Although she may still be in a season of transition, one thing for sure is that French Gates is enjoying calling the shots when it comes to philanthropy.
Following her exit from the foundation she co-founded more than two decades ago with her ex-husband, French Gates pledged $1 billion to women’s rights in the United States, a cause she has long supported.
“A woman should have her full voice, her full decision-making authority,” she told Elle. “It’s nice to have that.”
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