NEWS
Bill and Melinda Gates’ marriage ends after 27 years
Popular billionaire couple, Bill and Melinda Gates are getting divorced because they “no longer believe we can grow together as a couple”, the pair said in a statement.
The tech entrepreneur and his wife, who have been married 27 years, are among the richest people on the planet and also a huge driving force in the world of global philanthropy.
In a statement posted on Twitter, the couple said they would continue to work together at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has over $51bn in assets, according to a tax filing, reported CNBC, which they run together and is the main arm for their operations around the world, especially in the cause of fighting diseases.
“We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life,” they said.
The two met in the late 1980s when Melinda joined Bill’s Microsoft firm, and have three children together – Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe — and reside in their huge, earth-sheltered family mansion, dubbed Xanadu 2.0, overlooking Lake Washington in Medina, WA. The Gates’ net worth is estimated at more than $130 billion.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 3, 2021
Bill Gates is the fourth wealthiest person in the world, according to Forbes, and is worth $124 billion. He made his money through the firm he co-founded in the 1970s, Microsoft, the world’s biggest software company.
The couple’s separation is likely to send shock waves through the worlds of philanthropy, public health and business.
