Bill Gates' awful behavior towards Melinda at dinner party revealed by socialite friend, as she spills secrets of their marriage

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Bill Gates's rude behavior to his ex-wife Melinda has been detailed by a socialite who shared that she attended a very awkward dinner party with the pair.  

The socialite, a close friend of the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, told the Daily Mail how Gates, 70, snapped at Melinda, 61, in full view of other diners.

'[Melinda] would try to say something that was very relevant and [Bill] was like, "I'm talking!"

'I think that's just how he was with everyone, but it was kind of cringe, like, don't shush your wife.'  

The Daily Mail's source, who asked to remain anonymous, described Gates's temper as 'explosive' and said the billionaire got 'frustrated very easily.'

She went on to offer a defense of Gates, who was married to Melinda between 1994 and 2021, until their relationship foundered after his friendship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein hit the headlines. 

Asked about an email released by the Department of Justice from the Epstein files suggesting Gates had contracted a sexually transmitted disease from 'Russian girls' and asked about getting antibiotics to give to Melinda, the source said: 'I absolutely do not think that's true.

'Melinda would not put up with an ounce of that.

Bill Gates (seen in the 90s with his then-wife Melinda) had an 'explosive temper' and 'shushed' his former wife Melinda at dinner parties, a close friend of the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen told the Daily Mail 

Melinda Gates during an interview in March 2025. The source hailed Melinda's 'integrity'

'She had too much integrity. She would have never… if that would have happened, there would have been no explaining that away. They would have been done.'

The source added: 'If Paul were alive today, he would just be horrified of what Melinda's been put through.' 

When the emails accusing Gates of contracting an STD were released by the Department of Justice last month, Gates angrily denied allegations in a rare statement to the Daily Mail. 

His spokesperson said: 'These claims are absolutely absurd and completely false.

'The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein's frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame.' 

Gates has repeatedly voiced his regret at being friends with Epstein but has repeatedly denied any suggestion of impropriety.  

Gates could not be more different than the late Seattle Seahawks owner Allen, the insider explained, claiming that 'all billionaires suck except for Paul Allen'. 

Allen, 65, believed Gates and Melinda were 'very good people' which is why he donated a significant portion of his estate to their foundation, the source shared.

A new photo showing Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein with friends was released last month

Microsoft co-founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975. The insider told Daily Mail 'if Paul were alive today, he would just be horrified of what Melinda's been put through'

He believed that Melinda played a large role in Gates's success and 'would always say that without her, he wasn't sure that Bill would have gotten to the point in life where he did'.

'[Paul] would just be heartbroken for Melinda,' the source added. 'He had so much respect for her.'

But Allen's close friend also claimed the Seattle Seahawks owner would take the allegations detailed in the Epstein Files 'with a grain of salt'.

'A lot of this is a bunch of sensationalized BS, because even if Bill wandered, there's absolutely no way he had interest in minors. Absolutely not,' the insider told the Mail.

The friend, who said she attended countless parties with the Microsoft founders, said there was 'no one under 21'.

Guests underwent security checks at the doors and anyone underage or using a fake ID was denied entry.

'I don't think that [Paul] would believe any of that. I think he would feel bad for Bill for making very poor decisions, which I think Bill has acknowledged,' the source said.

'But that being said, it only came out recently how horrible Epstein was.'

The friend shared that Epstein's transgressions with young women were sort of 'brushed over' at first because he would lie about them.

Jeffrey Epstein (left) and Bill gates (right) during an apparent meeting. It is unclear when the photo, released by the DOJ last month, was taken

'I think he would tell people, "oh, you know, this girl lied to me and told me she was, you know, over 18," or stuff like that,' the insider said. 'That's how I've heard secondhand how Epstein kind of explained it away. 

'I think if you're put in that position, you can kind of –– if it's once or twice –– you can kind of understand how somebody might get entrapped like that, especially somebody that puts themselves in those situations around a lot of young, beautiful women.'

Bill and Melinda have three adult children; Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe.

Epstein died in a New York City jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial. 

Melinda has since said that her husband's affairs, including an extra-marital relationship he admitted to in 2019, combined with his closeness to Epstein were key factors in their marriage ending.

The Daily Mail has approached Bill and Melinda's representatives for comment.