Washington:
Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife and fellow philanthropist Melinda announced on Monday they are divorcing following a 27-year marriage.
The announcement from one of the world’s wealthiest couples, with an estimated net worth of some $130 billion, was made in a joint statement on Twitter.
“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” they mentioned.
The statement mentioned they would continue their joint work on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the huge charity which funds applications in international well being, gender equality, education and other causes.
— 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 announcement comes two years following the divorce of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, a further of the world’s wealthiest persons, and his wife MacKenzie.
Bill Gates, 65, was a geeky teenager when he began what would turn out to be the world’s most worthwhile enterprise, and was for a time the world’s richest man and most prominent philanthropist.
He stepped down as Microsoft chief executive in 2008 to devote more time to philanthropy and later left the board, maintaining only the title of “founder and technology advisor.”
Melinda Gates, 56, married her husband in 1994 when she was working at the tech firm. They have 3 children with each other.
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