Bill Gates and his wife Melinda have announced that they are to divorce after 27 years of marriage.<\/p>\n
The 65-year-old Microsoft founder announced the split on Twitter.<\/p>\n
“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work, we have made the decision to end our marriage. 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,” the couple said in a joint statement.<\/p>\n
“We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue to work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives.<\/p>\n
“We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life.”<\/p>\n
The couple have three children; Jennifer, 25, Rory, 21, and Phoebe, 18.<\/p>\n
They have amassed a fortune of US$127 billion.<\/p>\n
Bill and Melinda got married on New Year’s Day in 1994, in a private ceremony in Hawaii.<\/p>\n
In 2000, they launched the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with ambitious goals that included the reduction of extreme poverty around the world.<\/p>\n
More to come<\/i><\/p>\n