Melinda and Bill call it quits
Twenty-seven years after Bill Gates filled the whiteboard in his bedroom with the pros and cons of proposing to his girlfriend, Melinda French, one of the world’s most influential marriages has come to an end.
Bill and Melinda announced they were divorcing in a joint statement on Twitter, in which they appeared to present a united front, saying: “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.”
They said they continue to share that vision. The reason for the split they gave was: “We no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives.”
However, the divorce petition, filed by Melinda and obtained by
NBC, described the marriage as “irretrievably broken”. The details of the financial settlement are not yet known, but the couple is reportedly seeking a division of their joint assets.
Bill Gates, 65, was once the world’s richest person, and together he and Melinda, 56, are the largest owners of private farmland in the US. Bill earnt his fortune as a co-founder of Microsoft but, with Melinda, has become a leader in philanthropy.
Bill lost the title of richest man in part due to his charitable donations. Since 2000, their foundation has spent $53.8 billion fighting poverty and disease. They say they will continue to work together at the foundation.
Bill and Melinda met in 1987 when Melinda joined Microsoft. The story goes Bill asked Melinda if she’d go out with him in two weeks’ time. She said no – she wanted something more spontaneous. He rang her hours later and asked her to dinner that night.
They were married in 1994 and have three children: Jennifer, 25, Rory, 21, and Phoebe, 18. The divorce is unlikely to impact the Gates’ children’s inheritance as Bill intends to leave them only “a minuscule portion” of his wealth, a decision he made after discussing the matter with friend and investor Warren Buffett. Bill has said his children “need to have a sense that their own work is meaningful”, and that Melinda agrees with him on that point.