Melinda French Gates has shared the reason behind her decision to end her 27-year marriage to billionaire and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

In a candid conversation with The Late Show host Stephen Colbert, Melinda revealed that a lack of honesty ultimately led to the breakdown of their relationship, saying it affected their ability to build intimacy and trust.

“To have a trusted relationship, which is what I wanted in marriage, both partners have to be honest with one another,” she said. “And if you can’t, you can’t have intimacy and you can’t have trust. So, in the end, I had to go.”

The 60-year-old philanthropist officially divorced Bill Gates in 2021. The couple shares three children together.

Melinda, who has recently stepped back into the spotlight, is currently promoting her new memoir in which she reflects on key life transitions, including her widely publicized divorce.