REVEALED: Melinda Gates bonded with Bill over their love of puzzles, won his heart by beating him at a math game, and gave their kids her maiden name to hide their $100B fortune
- Melinda Gates discusses her relationship with husband Bill in her new memoir The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World
- The pair met at work and bonded at a dinner over their love of puzzles said Gates
- Gates then won her husband's heart by beating him at a math game
- She wrote in the book that she had previously been in an abusive relationship before meeting her spouse
- She also reveals that she enrolled their three children under her maiden name at their schools to avoid anyone realizing they were billionaires
One-half of the world's ultimate power couple is opening up about her very private life with a very public figure.
In her new book The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World, Melinda Gates gives a rare glimpse into her personal life, sharing details about how she and Bill first met, their dynamic both in the workplace and at home, and the measures she took to make sure her children were able to have a relatively normal upbringing despite their parent vast wealth.
That last part proved to be easier than imagined, with Gates simply enrolling the children at school under her maiden name.
The couple's three children - Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe - are now grown up, with the youngest headed off to college in a few years.
Gates recalls that time in her book, and starting her job at Microsoft which introduced her to the man who would one day become her husband.
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Digital love: Melinda Gates (couple above in 2013) discusses her relationship with husband Bill in her new memoir The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World
Problem solver: She also reveals that she enrolled their three children under her maiden name at their schools to avoid anyone realizing they were billionaires (Melinda and oldest daughter Jennifer on left in 2013)
Gates said that it was a love of puzzles that brought her and her future husband together, and that she won his heart by beating him at a math game.
She also stressed the importance of having a partner, someone who viewed her completely as his equal and not lesser.
She said that it was Bill who would do the school runs, bucking traditional gender roles.
'Bill and I are equal partners,' said Gates.
'Men and women should be equal at work.'
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Shortly before she met the man who would be her husband, Gates revealed that she was in an abusive relationship.
Her book marks the first time she has shared the details of that abuse, and she spoke about her decision to open up about that time in her life with The New York Times.
'I didn’t spend a lot of time on that, but I’ve never talked about it publicly before. It killed my voice and my self-esteem for years,' said Gates.
'That, to me, is not that different than women in the developing world who lose their voice or have no decision-making power.'
She also explained that it was out of respect for the other party that she kept that section of the book concise, but at the same time knew she had to share the experience because it is so common for women across the world.
'That was a big decision for me. I mean, huge. It has only been in the last few years that I’ve even started to tell people close to me. But when I was writing this book I thought, I have to tell this,' explained Gates.
'And the reason is so few people understand how many women have been through this. The number who have been abused is unbelievable. It affects a woman’s self-confidence. There can be shame or guilt. And so for me, the profound effect on how I saw myself and where I wouldn’t use my voice — I felt it was important to tell that in the book so that people would understand, yes, this can happen to anyone.'
She continued: 'And what I chose to include was another very purposeful decision. That person is still alive. That person has a mother and father. That person has two sisters and other family members.
'So I thought it was important for me to share exactly what I shared and no more. That’s not an easy topic for any of us. '
