Bill and Melinda Gates have announced their divorce after 27 years of marriage, saying “we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple.”
“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” the pair tweeted. “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.” The two will keep working together on philanthropic efforts, which have addressed education, gender equality and health care.
They first met in the 1980s when Melinda joined Bill’s Microsoft firm. They got married in 1994 on the Hawaiian island of Lanai, reportedly hiring up all the local helicopters to stop unwanted guests flying over.
The billionaire couple have three children and jointly run the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The couple’s philanthropy has always been deeply rooted in their relationship and marriage. The day before they wed in Hawaii, Bill’s mother, Mary, who had been trying to convince him to dramatically increase his charity, gave Melinda a letter which closed with the words “From those to whom much is given, much is expected.” Mary Gates died several months later.
At stake is one of the world’s greatest fortunes — currently valued at $145.8 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index — and one of the largest philanthropy operations on the planet. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given away more than $50 billion, contributing to the fight against Covid-19, leading the charge on climate change and advocating for women’s rights. “Bill and Melinda will remain co-chairs and trustees of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,” a spokesperson for the foundation wrote in an emailed statement.
Last year Bill Gates stepped down from Microsoft’s board as the coronavirus became a force around the world. He began spending more time on the foundation alongside Melinda Gates.
To many, this is the second unexpected divorce after Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott who surprised everyone by announcing their separation after 25 years of marriage in July, 2019.
