Melinda French Gates is seemingly shrugging off the possibility of a reconciliation with her ex-husband, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

Speaking to the U.K.’s The Times in January, Gates described his 2021 divorce from French Gates as “the mistake I most regret,” adding: “The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years.”

In an interview with the same outlet published Sunday, however, French Gates offered a different perspective on the split, calling it “something that was necessary” when asked about Gates’ remark.

“If you can’t live your values out inside your most intimate relationship, it was necessary,” the philanthropist said. “I don’t even quite know what to make of that statement, so I’m not going to comment on what he says.”

She went on to note: “He’s got his own life. I have my life now. I am very happy.”

At the time of their separation in 2021, Gates and French Gates had been married for 27 years. The couple share three adult children: Jennifer Gates Nassar, 28; Rory Gates, 25; and Phoebe Gates, 22.

Though French Gates initially continued to serve as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ― the charitable organization she co-founded with Gates ― after the split, she resigned from her post last year. Gates later described his ex-wife’s decision as “disappointing.”

In previous interviews, French Gates has said that “not one thing, but many things” ultimately led to her divorce from Gates. One notable point of contention, however, was her ex-husband’s connection to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

“I did not like that he’d had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, no,” she told “CBS This Morning” in 2022. “I made that clear to him. ... [Epstein] was abhorrent. He was evil personified. I had nightmares about it afterward.”

Since 2023, Gates has been quietly dating Paula Hurd, the widow of former Oracle CEO Mark Hurd. Appearing on NBC’s “Today” in February, he issued a rare comment on the relationship, describing Hurd as his “serious girlfriend.”

As for French Gates, she’s set to share more insight into her private life in a new memoir, “The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward,” due out this week. She also tells The Times she’s currently single, but has been enjoying dating.

“I have had so many friends introduce me to people and it’s been lovely,” she said. Asked if men are intimidated by her wealth and status, she replied, “I’m sure some are and some aren’t. But I’m not really looking for somebody who would be intimidated by my status. That kind of rules them out, right?”