Melinda French Gates is sharing her truth. In an interview with PEOPLE, she spoke about her divorce from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. According to the publication, when asked about "betrayals" in her marriage, a word she deliberately chose for her new book The Next Day (out April 15), Melinda took a long pause before answering: "You have to stay true to yourself always, right?"
That's the heart of "The Next Day," a mix of memoir and life lessons, though Melinda insists she's "not trying to give advice to anybody." Still, her story is undeniably powerful, particularly regarding the raw honesty about her split from Bill, a topic she admits remains painful to discuss.
The Breaking Point
While their separation was announced nearly four years ago, Melinda reveals in her book that she saw the cracks forming much earlier. By late 2019, she was plagued by nightmares of a beautiful house crumbling around her, a subconscious warning sign she could no longer ignore.
"Bill has publicly acknowledged that he wasn't always faithful to me," she writes, while also referencing a "deeply disturbing" article from that time about Bill's meetings with a convicted sex offender. Bill Gates has since called those meetings a mistake, saying he was "foolish" to engage with him at all.
As the reports mounted, so did her unease. Then came a recurring vision: Melinda, Bill, and their three children standing at the edge of a cliff until she suddenly plummeted into the void.
The Moment She Knew It Was Over
Determined to face her concerns head-on, she invited Bill on a trip to New Mexico in February 2020—one she had originally planned to take alone. It was there, in a rental home that happened to be available because another couple had recently divorced, that the reality of her own marriage hit her.
Although they tried to treat the getaway like any other vacation, Melinda made a life-altering decision on the final night: she told Bill she wanted to start living separately. She would stay in their home with their youngest daughter, Phoebe, who was finishing high school. "It was one of the scariest conversations I'd ever had," she writes, recalling that Bill was "sad and upset" but also "understanding and respectful."
From Pain to Power
Melinda describes the divorce process as "grueling" and surprisingly lengthy, but once the legalities were settled, everything moved quickly. On May 3, 2021, she and Bill released their joint statement announcing their split.
As the news spread like wildfire, Melinda was at home with Phoebe. The then-18-year-old even showed her mom some memes about the announcement. "We laughed a little, but I wasn't really in a celebratory mood," Melinda admits.
A New Chapter—and Billions for Women
Now, Melinda is all about moving forward. Through her organization, Pivotal Ventures, she's continuing her mission to empower women and girls, giving away billions in the process. "It takes courage forging a different life," she tells PEOPLE. "When you change paths, you realize, oh, it's a big opening."
And while the details of what ultimately led to the end of her marriage remain Bill's to share, Melinda isn't looking back. She's walking confidently into her next day on her own terms.