Enjoying time together with my 'serious girlfriend' Paula, says Bill Gates

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has officially confirmed his relationship with Paula Hurd, describing her as his "serious girlfriend" during a recent interview on the TODAY show. The billionaire philanthropist, who has largely kept his personal life private since his divorce from Melinda French Gates in 2021, shared that he and Hurd are "enjoying their time together".

"I'm lucky to have a serious girlfriend named Paula," Gates said. "We're having fun, going to the Olympics and lots of great things."

Gates, 69, also reflected on his divorce from Melinda, which ended their 27-year-long marriage. While he had earlier admitted that the split was his "biggest regret", in his recent interview, the billionaire claimed that both he and Melinda had moved on.

"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," he said.

Despite the end of their marriage, Gates noted that they still share family moments. "Melinda and I still see each other - we have three kids and two grandchildren, so there are family events. The kids are doing well. They have good values," he said.

In the interview, Gates was also asked about his childhood. While replying to the question, the 69-year-old said he "didn't look back much", adding, "This year, I turn 70, Microsoft turns 50, and so I thought, OK, I should share what luck I had to have amazing parents, you know, the way they let me go out and hike and try new things," he said. "I was just unbelievably lucky, and, you know, that's why Microsoft ended up being so successful."

Gates' relationship with Hurd became public in 2022, a year after his divorce. Hurd, a philanthropist, was previously married to Oracle CEO Mark Hurd until his passing in 2019. While Gates has kept his personal life under wraps, he made it clear that he has moved forward.

"I've moved past the divorce, and Melinda's doing well. I've got a lot of work that I love to do. So I'm not really complaining about anything," he said.