Bill and Melinda Gates divorce after 27 years of marriage
The couple - pictured here in 2018 - have given billions to charity
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.
They first met in the 1980s when Melinda joined Bill's Microsoft firm. The billionaire couple have three children and jointly run the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The organisation has spent billions fighting causes such as infectious diseases and encouraging vaccinations in children.
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A timeline of Bill and Melinda Gates' relationship
Bill and Melinda Gates announced the end of their 27-year relationship Monday, shocking the business and philanthropic worlds.
"After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage," the couple, well-known for their wealth and commitment to philanthropy, said in a statement.
The pair spent nearly three decades together in a relationship that focused on philanthropy, work and family. Together, they were one of the richest and most philanthropic power couples in the world.
