The couple - pictured here in 2018 - has given billions to charity. (Photo by= Getty Images) |
[Asia News Communication = Reporter Reakkana] 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.
BBC reported that 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 all the local helicopters to stop unwanted guests flying over. The billionaire couple has three children and jointly runs the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The organization spent billions fighting causes like infectious diseases and encouraging vaccinations in children. The Gates - along with investor Warren Buffett - are behind the Giving Pledge, which calls on billionaires to commit to giving away the majority of their wealth to good causes.
Bill Gates, 65, is the fourth wealthiest person in the world, according to Forbes, and is worth $124bn (£89bn). Meanwhile, their 25-year-old daughter, Jennifer Gates, wrote on Instagram: "It's been a challenging stretch of time for our whole family. I'm still learning how to best support my own process and emotions". While the pair may branch off into separate charity initiatives, analysts say the work of the Gates Foundation is likely to continue.