Bill Gates and his wife Melinda, who shocked the world with their recent announcement for divorce after 27 years of marriage, had allegedly waited for their youngest daughter Phoebe to turn 18 before they split, according to reports.
While the reasons behind Bill and Melinda’s divorce are still not clear, speculations have risen over what could be the cause.
A source had said to a well-known media house, “The decision to part ways appears to be linked to their youngest daughter, Phoebe, turning 18 years old. It’s because their youngest child is graduating from high school, and the idea was that they stayed together through that.” The source had added, “They limped through until their kids were out of school like a lot of people.”
Another report said Melinda had been approaching and working with lawyers right from October 2019 for the divorce, allegedly due to Bill’s interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Jeffrey had died in jail while awaiting a trial on federal charges related to sex trafficking.
The media report said Bill and Jeffrey’s ties dates back to as far as 2013.
In October 2019, the billionaire had reportedly met with Jeffrey a few times and stayed over at his New York townhouse once. A spokeswoman for Bill had said back then that the meetings were mainly focused on philanthropy.
However, Melinda was also quoted as saying back then that their marriage had been “irretrievably broken.”
Both sides’ legal teams had a mediator to discuss the divorce during the COVID-19 pandemic and divide their wealth. Bill Gates is said to be worth $146 billion and is the fourth-richest person in the world.
After the terms were finalised, the couple put out a statement that read, “After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, 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,” it said.
Following the announcement, their eldest daughter Jennifer said on Instagram that it has been a challenging time for the entire family. She wrote, “It’s been a challenging stretch of time for our whole family. I’m still learning how to best support my own process and emotions as well as my family members at this time and am grateful for the space to do so.”
Bill and Melinda Gates to divorce after 27 years of marriage, Indians google Microsoft's share price
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation joins hands with Dharavi rappers for a song to raise Covid awareness
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation donates $100 million to fight coronavirus
Prince Andrew finally opens up about Jeffrey Epstein's death, says he's 'appalled'