Bill and Melinda Gates divorcing after 27 years of marriage

The pair say their split will not affect the work of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

PRETORIA, May 4 (ANA) – Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates and his wife Melinda, also a philanthropist, are ending their marriage after 27 years, the pair announced in a statement on their verified Twitter accounts on Tuesday.

“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage.

“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,” the pair said in a statement.

They added that the fate of their marriage would not affect the work of their foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, founded in 2000.

“We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation.’’

In a separate statement, the foundation said the couple would remain co-chairs and trustees and that no changes to their roles or the organisation were planned.

The foundation has spent US$53.8 billion on a wide range of initiatives related to health care, poverty alleviation and education, according to its website.

According to CNN, Bill, 65, and Melinda, 56, met at Microsoft, the world’s largest computer software company, which Bill co-founded with Paul Allen.

Melinda started in the company as a product manager and eventually rose through the ranks to become general manager of information products.

According to Forbes, Bill Gates is the world’s fourth-richest person with a net worth of US$130.5 billion.

According to US media reports, the financial details of their split remain unclear.

The couple have three children together.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher