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She’s one of the richest women on the planet and still arguably the most influential. One thing Oprah Winfrey isn’t: is a mum. And she’s fine with that.

At 59, Oprah doesn’t regret her life without children.

If I had kids, my kids would hate me

she told The Hollywood Reporter. “They would have ended up on the equivalent of the Oprah show talking about me, because something [in my life] would have had to suffer and it would’ve probably been them.”

Born into poverty, Oprah has described herself as a promiscuous teen who at the age of 14 gave birth to a baby who only lived for a few weeks. Then, while still in high school, she scored a job in radio and later TV news. Her enormously successful talk-show ran for 25 years until 2011.

She says that her childhood best friend Gayle King, who is still her BFF today, dreamed of being married and having children (she ended up having two), but “While she was having those kind of daydreams, I was having daydreams about how I could be Martin Luther King.”

With hopes of moving from Chicago to California by the time she turns 60 in January, Oprah recently held a huge garage sale to declutter and raised a reported $600,000 for charity: “It was about making space for a new life, which is what I’m getting ready to create for myself in California.”

What’s also on the agenda: awards-show season. Winfrey is gathering buzz for her role in The Butler, co-starring Forrest Whitaker. According to Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers,

Winfrey is a full-throttle wonder, filling her role with heart, soul and a healing resilience.

Plus there are her surrogate girls to look after. In 2007 she established and still funds the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, and emails the girls every morning. “I’m responding to everything from ‘I’m feeling lost’ to ‘I need advice about a boy,’ ” she says, adding that she is stunned at how much the girls have come to mean to her.

The school boasts a 100% graduation rate and so far, 100% of those graduates have gone on to college. As she says,

I always felt that whatever you have, you have to share it.

  • each to their own , but i love being a new mum . id never give up my 5 moth old for anything

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  • We all have decisions to make. Some of us are leaders and others followers. Some are career women and others being a mother is their career. No choice is really easy.

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  • nope sorry … you never feel as much love as you do when you hold your child or feel it kick for the first time .. i had 20 years of endometriosis was told I could never have kids yet at 37 I fell pregnant still with endo and cysts … she is now 20 months and I would give up everything for her … no career could ever match her

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  • Each to their own. After never wanting children and then unexpectedly falling pregnant, I am the most grateful person on earth as I love being a mum and wouldn’t change it for the world. Oprah has experienced motherhood and I would assume she would want that and it does surprise me that she doesn’t. I don’t think she would of made a bad mum either but it is a very noble thing to say.

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  • I always enjoyed watching Oprah on tv. She is an amazing woman. Good on her for overcoming diversity, helping change women’s lives and her wonderful schools in Africa. There are plenty of Hollywood “celebrities” who could learn a lot from her.

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  • An amazing woman that has given so much. To come from poverty into riches – The most powerful woman in the world – she should be so proud. Shame all the other actors etc that earn million. They could do so much but most such winge and gloat how much money they have.

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  • Good on her, some people are born to have kids others to look after others and she does a wonderful job looking after all those girls, and charities

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  • I too believe she would have made a great mother, she has what many do not..intilligence and altruistic compassion.

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  • I think she would make a great mum

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  • I love how honest and open she is. Not every women wants to be a mother and good on her for admitting it. Always have loved Oprah.

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  • How honest. I’m sure she would be a great mum though.

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  • Its a great reason for not wanting children. If i thought I would not have the time for mine I would of never had them either

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  • She does so much good for people. Inspirational must have so much inner strength to be where she is today. Being famous in the public eye must be difficult.

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  • I can look at Oprah in a new light now. Definitely respect her decision about not having children as they would be the ones who would have suffered.

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  • I absolutely love Oprah, she’s an amazing woman.

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  • Oprah you are an amazing woman!

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  • At least she is honest, not everyone wants children, which is better than those who do have children and abuse because they blame them for whatever is missing in their own personal life! She does make millions of other mothers happy with her generosity!

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  • She is such an Awesome person!!!

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  • i really couldnt imagine life without my kids and i do understand her stance on it though and without her making this decision i think there wouldnt be as many people helped and loved by her as there has been xx such a truely gorgeous person

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  • Really great person who helps so many people.

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