Melinda Gates made the decision to divorce Bill Gates because their marriage was beyond repair, it has emerged.
In her divorce petition obtained by People, Melinda Gates states that her marriage to Bill was "irretrievably broken." The document further indicates that the pair have no prenuptial agreement in place and will instead be dividing their assets according to a separation agreement, which is signed at the end of a marriage and spells out terms of the divorce.
Melinda Gates stated that "spousal support is not needed." She also filed an automatic temporary order restricting her and Bill's ability to dispose of property or make changes to insurance policies, except as agreed in writing or as ordered by the court, according to People.
Melinda and Bill took to Twitter on Monday to announce that they were calling it quits after nearly three decades of marriage.
"After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage," they said in a statement posted on Twitter. "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. We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation but we no longer believe 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 to navigate this new life."
Bill and Melinda launched the nonprofit Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000. As of the end of 2019, its net assets amounted to $43.3 billion, making it the largest private philanthropic foundation in the United States and one of the world's biggest, according to Reuters.
From 1994 through to 2018, the couple, who serve as co-chairs and trustees, gifted more than $36 billion to the foundation. Although it is unclear what their specific financial plans are, Bill and Melinda, who command an estimated $146 billion, emphasized that they will cooperate on continuing their philanthropy. A spokesperson confirmed that the divorce will not impact their roles within the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
"No changes to their roles or the organization are planned," according to the statement. "They will continue to work together to shape and approve foundation strategies, advocate for the foundation’s issues, and set the organization’s overall direction."
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