Bill and Melinda Gates divorce after 27 years of marriage
Microsoft billionaire founder and philanthropist Bill Gates and his wife Melinda French, a former executive of the firm and a partner in the foundation they both share, have announced that they are divorcing after 27 years of marriage, three children and a global healthcare program in various fronts, including vaccination against covid-19 and the fight against malaria in Africa. The identical announcement was made public by both separately on Twitter.
"After much thought and hard work in our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage. Over 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works around the world to enable all people to they can have healthy and productive lives, "he says.
The Gates announce that they will continue to work together on the foundation:
"We continue to share a belief in this mission and we will continue to work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe that 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 this new path of life," he concludes. the notice.
Melinda French, born in Texas with a degree in computer science and economics, met her until now husband when he worked at Microsoft as the manager of the Encarta encyclopedia. They dated for six years until they were married, and she left her position with the company to dedicate herself to the family and run a fledgling philanthropic foundation they created together but initially only listed in his name. Together they built a legendary house with all the technological advances in the suburbs of Seattle in which they lived until now, not far from another marriage of millionaires who separated just over a year ago, the Bezos, founders of Amazon.
Gates, one of his golden bachelors in his youth, had been dating investor Ann Vinblat for many years, albeit living hundreds of miles apart, he in Seattle and she in San Francisco. And she was almost the only girlfriend to be known until Melinda French. Child prodigy in a prosperous Seattle family, he created Microsoft with Paul Allen when he hadn't finished college yet. His Windows operating system made him a very young millionaire and, after becoming one of the richest men in the world, he left the company he founded in 2008, to dedicate himself to philanthropy, under the influence of his wife, but also one of his great friends, billionaire Warren Buffett.
With French he has had three children, one of whom is a competition rider, and to whom he has promised not to leave the bulk of the inheritance when she passes away and to donate it for charitable projects.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest private foundation in the world and derives its income from most of the Gates' profits. It finances initiatives in various areas, including education, food and health.
According to TMZ, the couple has already submitted the documentation to file for divorce and there is no prenuptial agreement.
