Why Bill and Melinda part ways
“We no longer believe we can grow together as a couple”
Billionaire benefactors Bill and Melinda Gates in a shocking turn of events announced their divorce after 27 years of marriage stating "the marriage is irretrievably broken" in the divorce documents.
The divorce documents obtained by TMZ showed the request for the marriage to be declared over "as of the date in the separation contract."
According to TMZ, the separation contract isn't included, but its presence means there isn't a prenuptial agreement. Melinda doesn't want spousal help and wants a trial in April 2022.
"After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage," said the couple in identical tweets on Monday, adding, "We no longer believe we can grow together as a couple."
Despite their decision to split, the pair said they would continue to work together at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the world's largest private charitable foundation.
The couple filed a joint petition for dissolution of marriage in King County Superior Court in Seattle.
This will be the second high profile divorce of a billionaire couple after the recent divorce of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos who finalised their divorce in 2019.
