Bill and Melinda Gates have announced their decision to end their 27-year marriage, as revealed in a joint statement posted on Twitter this Monday.
The Microsoft founder and businesswoman Melinda met in the late 1980s when she joined Microsoft, and their relationship began in 1987, leading to their marriage in 1994. The couple, who shares three children, co-founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000, a philanthropic organization that has donated billions of dollars to combat infectious diseases and advocate for childhood vaccinations, amassing funds of around US$50 billion.
In their official statement, Bill and Melinda expressed their continued commitment to their foundation's mission but acknowledged that they can no longer grow as a couple in the next phase of their lives. Despite this decision, they emphasized their dedication to working together at the foundation. The couple's achievements, from their children to the global impact of their foundation's work, were highlighted in the statement.
Both Bill and Melinda, along with investor Warren Buffett, are key figures behind the Giving Pledge initiative, urging billionaires to pledge the majority of their wealth to charitable causes. Bill Gates, ranked as the fourth richest person globally by Forbes with an estimated fortune of around US$124 billion, resigned from his board position at Microsoft last year to focus on philanthropic activities.
Reflecting on their beginnings, Melinda joined Microsoft in 1987 as a product manager, and the couple's relationship blossomed after a business dinner in New York. In a Netflix documentary, Bill Gates shared the pivotal moment when they realized marriage was the inevitable choice. They tied the knot in 1994 on the island of Lanai, Hawaii, ensuring privacy by hiring all available helicopters in the area.
Amidst their divorce announcement, the couple has requested privacy for their family. Despite the personal nature of the news, the statement has already generated significant attention on social media platforms shortly after its release.
