India, March 18 -- Philanthropist Melinda French Gates said she wishes for people to see her "thriving" after her divorce from billionaire Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates. Melinda French Gates was speaking to Elle when she talked about her divorce and how her life has changed since then.

She called divorces "painful" and said it is not something she would "wish on any family". She was then asked about a section of her book where she described the months leading up to her divorce.

She had written that she took a trip to Santa Fe with Bill where she deduced from the photos on the walls, that the house they'd rented belonged to a couple who was no longer together. She found herself Googling the owners, trying to see where they'd ended up....