Bill Gates, the co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft, and his wife Melinda Gates announced their divorce on Monday.
"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," they tweeted, adding, "but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives," the couple said in a joint statement on Twitter.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 3, 2021
However, they added that they will continue working for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation together. They have also asked for privacy for their family.
Although the comments feature on Bill Gates' tweet was disabled, many people started sharing his post from his official Twitter handle, and started reacting to it.
Carl Theodore Bergstrom, a theoretical and evolutionary biologist and a professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, had best wishes in store for the former couple.
Wishing you both the best going forward. I respect the candor, regret the fact that you have to deal with the public eye in all of this, and admire enormously your ability to continue collaborating in your shared commitment to the work of the foundation. Godspeed. https://t.co/bRTkAZCYWb
— Carl T. Bergstrom (@CT_Bergstrom) May 4, 2021
One user joked about whether Bill Gates has now become single.
Wow.. So now Bill Dates.. 😊 https://t.co/V4LVHGMsFQ
— Ayhan Gedik (@Ayanimuuu) May 3, 2021
There were also many Twitter users who felt that it was ironic for a man who used technology against everyone to ask for privacy.
Isn't this ironic, the man who uses technology against us is asking for privacy. https://t.co/Rt64gOCWQJ
— It's Just Me, If I don't like U, its b/c UR an A$$ (@10secondslost) May 4, 2021
I’m asking for him to respect my family’s space as well. https://t.co/Ovh37FGGf3
— Miles J Fenucci (@FenucciMiles) May 3, 2021
Someone pointed out that Bill Gates asked for 'privacy' by making the announcement to his 55 million followers on Twitter.
“We ask for space and privacy”
— Jim Dandy (@JimDandyMD) May 3, 2021
Tweets to 55 million followers https://t.co/CQH7AG2VlZ
Another user posted a meme regarding Bill and Melinda Gates' divorce.
Bill Gates logging into his marriage this morning pic.twitter.com/DOBUKjF9By
— ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇᴀʀ ᴍᴇᴍᴇꜱ (@grandoldmemes) May 3, 2021
Another joked that one of the world's top billionaires is now single and available.
So what I’M hearing is that one of the world’s top billionaires is now single and available.
— Ian MacKinnon (@Radioian) May 3, 2021
*freshens breath*#billgatesdivorce
How did Bill and Melinda Gates meet each other?
Bill and Melinda Gates met each other in 1987 when Melinda started working for Microsoft. Eventually, they got into a serious relationship and married each other on New Year's Day in Hawaii in the year 1994. They had their first child Jennifer Gates in 1996, Rory Gates in 1999, and Phoebe Gates in 2002.