Bill And Melinda Gates Announce Divorce After 27 Years of Marriage; To Divide Assets Based On ‘Separation Contract’
Billionaire philanthropists Bill Gates and Melinda Gates recently released a shocking statement announcing that they are ending their 27-years of marriage without a mention of the cause behind the split.
Bill Gates, posted the statement on his Twitter account on Monday afternoon, saying that the couple is headed for divorce — although he noted that they will both continue to work on the foundation that they built together.
“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” the statement read.
“Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives.”
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 3, 2021
“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,” the Microsoft co-founder and Microsoft co-founder added referring to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — said to be the world’s largest private charitable organization as of 2015.
Melinda also posted the same statement on her social media platform.
— Melinda French Gates (@melindagates) May 3, 2021
One of the world’s richest couples, Bill and Melinda Gates married in 1994. Bill, 65 and Melinda, now 56, met when she joined Microsoft as a product manager in 1987.
In a Netflix documentary, Bill — the world’s third richest man — described how they started dating: “We cared a lot for each other and there were only two possibilities: either, we were going to break up or we were going to get married.”
Melinda, meanwhile, noted that she found Bill “methodical” even on matters of relationships who “wrote a list on a whiteboard with the pros and the cons of getting married.” In 2019, she said: “Bill and I are equal partners. Men and women should be equal at work.”
Last year, Bill scaled down on his involvement with Microsoft and stepped down from its board to focus on his philanthropy with his wife.
The couple sought for “space” following their announcement of divorce.
“We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life,” Bill and Melinda added in their statement.
Bill dropped out of Harvard University to start Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975. Meanwhile, Melinda studied computer science and economics at Duke University before joining Microsoft.
Daughter comments
Jennifer Gates, the 25-year-old daughter of Bill and Melinda, said the family has been going through “a challenging stretch of time,” following her parents’ announcement of divorce.
“I’m still learning how to best support my own process and emotions as well as my family members at this time and am grateful for the space to do so,” Jennifer, the eldest of the couple’s three children wrote on her Instagram story.
In her statement, Jennifer wrote that: “It’s been a challenging stretch of time for our whole family.”
“I won’t personally comment further on anything around the separation, but please know that your kind words and support mean the world to me,” she said.
“Thank you for understanding our desire for privacy while we navigate the next phases of our lives,” she added.
Bill and Melinda’s other children are Rory, 22, and Phoebe, 19.
No prenup but ‘separation contract’
Following their announcement of divorce, reports noted that Bill and Melinda didn’t sign a prenup prior to their marriage — but with nearly $150 billion at stake — the couple will instead split their properties and liabilities based on a “separation contract.”
Reuters reported separately that in a joint petition for dissolution of marriage filed in King County Superior Court in Seattle, the couple asserted their legal union was “irretrievably broken,” but that they had reached agreement on how to divide their marital assets — although no details were disclosed of the said arrangement.
“In their divorce petition, the couple asks the court ‘to dissolve our marriage’ and to divide their communal property, business interests and liabilities ‘as set forth in our separation contract,’” it said.
Bill and Melinda Gates' divorce will entail complex decisions about how to handle their wealth after 27 years of marriage. Here are details about their wealth and the couple's philanthropic activities https://t.co/DtaZ24AL0C pic.twitter.com/1KDtl0uvbf
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 4, 2021
The Gates Foundation said in a separate statement that Bill and Melinda would remain as co-chairs and trustees of the organization.
“They will continue to work together to shape and approve foundation strategies, advocate for the foundation’s issues, and set the organization’s overall direction,” its statement read.
