Bill and Melinda Gates Announce Divorce

After 27 years of marriage, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, will be going through a divorce. The billionaire couple first met when Melinda joined Microsoft in 1987. Seven years later, they officially married in Hawaii.

In a joint statement, Bill and Melinda stated, "After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage. 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 the next phase of our lives. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life."

Bill Gates is most known for his time in his company, Microsoft. Back in 2020, he stepped down from the company board to prioritize his philanthropic projects. He has also stepped down from the board of directors in another billion-dollar company, Berkshire Hathaway.

Melinda Gates is one of the most powerful women in the world. She is known for her philanthropic work and advocacy towards women's empowerment. She has a background in Computer Science and served on as a project manager to multiple Microsoft undertakings, such as Microsoft Encarta.

They are key figures and trustees in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 2000 to give focus on global public health philanthropy. The concept began when the two went on a trip to Africa in 1993 and saw how poor the situation was. The foundation plays an important role in polio eradication, one of its main priorities. Melinda's advocacies have also been included in the multiple projects and goals that the foundation builds upon, such as Women's Rights and Equality.

Over the last year, the foundation has joined the fight against COVID-19. As of December 2020, they have contributed $1.75 billion for the research and development of equipment and vaccines against the virus.