After 27 years of marriage, Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder, and Melinda French Gates, Melinda French Gates are now divorcing. The divorce was finalized Monday by the King County Superior Court of Washington, three months after the couple had announced their intention to separate.Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates were once colleagues. They traveled together and took part in joint media interviews. Melinda French Gates was uncomfortable about her husband's relationship with billionaire investor Jeffrey Epstein. After media outlets published details of the connection, she hired divorce attorneys, according to the New York Times.Monday's filing states that neither spouse requested a name change. However, it does not give any insight into what will be changing. The court did not receive a separation contract.Although they have agreed to continue working together in philanthropy it is possible that their collaboration will end with the wedding. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where they are co-chairs, trustees, announced last month that Melinda French Gates would resign if either of them concludes that it is impossible to work together after two years.Bill Gates founded Microsoft in 1975 with Paul Allen. Gates was the CEO and Melinda French Gates was an employee of Microsoft from 1987 until 1996. They met in 1987, were married in 1994 and launched their foundation in 2000.Microsoft was informed in 2019 that Bill Gates tried to have an intimate relationship with a 2000 employee. A board committee conducted an investigation, assisted by a law firm. Although Gates resigned from Microsoft's board in 2020, a spokesperson for Bill Gates stated to CNBC that the affair was not the reason he decided to resign.According to Bloomberg, Bill Gates is today the fourth-richest person in the world, having a net worth of $152 billion. Files reveal that Bill Gates' holding company Cascade Investment transferred Autonation shares and Deere shares from the Gateses to Melinda French Gates, despite them declaring they were going their separate ways.Melinda French Gates, MacKenzie Scott and Jeff Bezos' ex-wife, have been involved in philanthropy to promote gender equality.WATCH: Gates Foundation outlines post-divorce contingency plans
