Bill Gates has announced he and his wife Melinda are ending their marriage after 27 years.
The billionaire, who is the co-founder of Microsoft, shared the news in a statement shared via Twitter on Monday evening.
The 65-year-old wrote: “After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage.”
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 3, 2021
“Over the last 27 years, 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.”
“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.”
“We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life,” the statement concluded, signed off by Bill and Melinda.
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The couple tied the knot in 1994, and share three children together – Rory, Phoebe and Jennifer.
In 2000, they founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is reported to be the largest private foundation in the world.
According to a tax filing cited by CNBC, the foundation currently has over $51 billion in assets, and aims to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty across the globe.
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The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation also aims to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology in the US.
In 1995, Bill became the world’s richest man at the age of 39, with an estimated fortune of $9.2 billion.
According to Forbes, his net worth is currently an estimated $130.5 billion.
