In the world of technology, two names often stand out: Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, and Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon. Both have revolutionized the tech industry in their own ways and amassed incredible wealth. However, their personal lives have also been under the spotlight, particularly their marriages and subsequent divorces. This blog post delves into the love lives of these two tech titans, their divorces, and the philanthropic journeys embarked upon by their ex-wives.

The Marriages and Divorces

Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates were married for 27 years before announcing their divorce in May 2021. The couple stated that they “no longer believe we can grow together as a couple”. Melinda French Gates opened up about the divorce, stating that there “wasn’t one moment or one specific thing that happened” but rather a realization that the relationship “just wasn’t healthy”. She was asked about the affair Bill had with a staffer 20 years ago, which a spokesperson for the Microsoft co-founder confirmed. Melinda said, “I certainly believe in forgiveness, so I thought we had worked through some of that”.

Melinda had concerns about her ex-husband Bill Gates’ dealings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. These concerns reportedly played a role in their decision to divorce. According to reports, Melinda was uneasy about Bill’s relationship with Epstein since at least 2013. Bill acknowledged in a forum in 2019 that his relationship with Epstein was a mistake.

Given the substantial wealth involved, the divorce was anticipated to become one of the most expensive in history. The couple had a separation contract in place, but the details of this arrangement remained private. Some estimates speculate that Melinda received $76 billion. The one thing that we know for sure is that in May 2024, while announcing that she will be resigning as co-chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda revealed that as part of her separation agreement from former husband Bill Gates, she will receive an “additional” $12.5 billion for her charitable work.

Bill started dating Paula Hurd following his divorce from Melinda French Gates in August 2021. The couple’s relationship was confirmed in February 2023. However, Gates and Hurd had been spotted together at several sporting events months prior, including the Laver Cup in September 2022 and the Australian Open in January 2023. Thereafter, the couple was also spotted at billionaire Anant Ambani’s pre-wedding celebration in India.

Similarly, Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott announced their divorce in January 2019 after 25 years of marriage. In a joint statement, they described their decision to split as coming “after a long period of loving exploration and trial separation”. After the divorce was finalized, MacKenzie expressed gratitude for the support she received. She stated, “Grateful to have finished the process of dissolving my marriage with Jeff with support from each other and everyone who reached out to us in kindness”.

In terms of the financial aspects of the divorce, MacKenzie walked away with a 4% stake in Amazon, which was then worth about $37 billion. Around the same time, it was reported that Jeff Bezos was having an affair with former news anchor Lauren Sánchez. The National Enquirer reported that Bezos and Sánchez had been secretly seeing each other for several months before Bezos announced his split from MacKenzie.

Bezos and Sánchez’s relationship began amid scandal, but they are now happily engaged. Their early days were filled with controversy, as whispers of their affair began to circulate even though Bezos’s marriage to MacKenzie had not yet formally ended. Once news of the affair broke, Bezos remarked to his executives, “Just to set the record straight, I did have a relationship with this woman. But the story is completely wrong and out of order. MacKenzie and I have had good, healthy adult conversations about it. She is fine. The kids are fine. The media is having a field day. All of this is very distracting, so thank you for being focused on the business.”

The Philanthropic Route

Following their divorces, both Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott have embarked on significant philanthropic journeys. Melinda French Gates has pledged to donate $1 billion over the next two years to organizations supporting women and girls. This is second billion-dollar commitment that Melinda has personally made in the span of 5 years. She has left the foundation she co-founded with Bill Gates to focus on philanthropy for women and girls.

MacKenzie Scott, on the other hand, has donated more than $17.3 billion to over 2,300 nonprofits since 2019. She has launched a philanthropy-related website and announced the name of her charitable giving organization: Yield Giving. Scott’s grants largely focus on equity and justice, education, health, and economic security.

Conclusion

High-profile divorces have always been a subject of public interest. The love lives of Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos are not-so-dissimilar as they involve affair, divorce and then getting together with a new partner. However, the narrative does not end with their personal lives. The philanthropic journeys undertaken by their ex-wives, Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott, are reshaping the landscape of giving. Their commitment to supporting various causes, including those related to women and girls, is creating a significant impact. Their stories serve as a reminder that out of personal upheaval, new paths can emerge, leading to transformative change in the world.