Co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, on Monday revealed that he and his wife, Melinda Gates, have chosen to end their marriage after 27 years.
"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 from the couple that both of them tweeted said. "[...] We no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives."
The couple outlined that they will continue their work connected with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, established in 2000, asking for "space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life".
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 3, 2021
— Melinda French Gates (@melindagates) May 3, 2021
Bill and Melinda Gates were married in 1994. They have three children, Jennifer, Phoebe and Rory Gates.
The charitable foundation that the Gates family established over two decades ago is reportedly the largest private foundation in the world, describing itself as a "nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world."
Melinda Gates is a philanthropist co-chairing the foundation and a former general manager at Microsoft. Bill Gates, a co-founder of the company, left day-to-day operations at Microsoft in 2008, focusing on his business and philanthropic endeavors.
Bill Gates is considered one of the richest people in the world, currently occupying the fourth position in the Forbes' list, with an estimated net worth of $124 billion.
