Melinda French Gates shared her enthusiasm for her new life post-divorce from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, emphasizing her love for her walkable neighborhood.

What Happened: The philanthropist, who divorced Bill Gates in 2021, expressed her delight in her new lifestyle. She revealed in a recent interview with Time that she enjoys walking to local spots in her neighborhood, a significant change from her previous residence.

“I live in a neighborhood. Now I can walk to little stores. I can walk to the drugstore, I can walk to a restaurant,” she said. “I absolutely love it.”

French Gates, who stepped down from her co-chair position at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in May, is now living in a cottage in the North Broadway neighborhood of Seattle. This move represents a significant downsizing from the couple’s former $183 million compound in the Medina suburb of Seattle, according to a Business Insider report.

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Despite the luxurious amenities of their previous home, French Gates prefers the simple life of her new neighborhood, which includes walking to local shops and interacting with non-tech titan neighbors.

Why It Matters: French Gates’ new lifestyle is a part of her broader post-divorce journey. The philanthropist has been making significant changes in her life, including resigning from her co-chair position at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in May.

She also made headlines for her stance on women’s rights in the 2024 election, publicly declaring her support for President Joe Biden after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Despite the challenges, Melinda French Gates has been candid about her journey, describing her divorce as “unbelievably painful” and noting that the privacy provided by the COVID-19 pandemic helped her cope.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote