Billionaires Bill, Melinda Gates splitting after 27 years marriage

Bill Gates and Melinda Gates are one of the world's wealthiest couples with a joint fortune estimated at $130 billion have announced to end their 27-year marriage. However, the two will keep working together on philanthropic efforts including addressed education, gender equality and health care.

In a joint statement on the Microsoft founder's Twitter handle, the couple said they made the decision after a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship.

"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," the statement read.

The statement further added that the duo will continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue their work together at the foundation.

“We no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives,” they stated.

Concluding the statement, they pair wrote, “We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life."

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— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 3, 2021

According to Forbes, Bill Gates is the fourth wealthiest person in the world with a net worth of $124bn and have channeled billions into charitable work around the globe via his foundation.

Bill and Melinda Gates both worked at Microsoft.

Melinda had been a general manager at Microsoft, where she worked on products such as the Encarta encyclopedia.

Bill met her at a dinner party for Microsoft employees in 1987 and married Melinda in January 1994 on a golf course on the Hawaiian island of Lanai.

The couple have three children, Jennifer (25), Rory (21) and Phoebe (18).