@ Bill and Melinda Gates to divorce

[vamoose]

For whatever reason, this one shocked me. They always seemed like a great couple.

[pumpkin]

For some reason I was surprised by this one too.

[acuore]

I'm surprised, too. My guess is infidelity on one or both sides. 

[One Girl In All The World]

I literally got a BBC alert on my phone about this. On the one hand, I don’t really care about things like this, but on the other hand, it was surprising.

[hocus2]

I am also a bit surprised. I am not sure that they will ever explain their split and I don't think they owe that to anyone.

[fernweh]

I’m more surprised then I probably should be by this.

[mouse]

I’m not sure why this feels sad to me. I mean, Bill Gates seems like a weird mix of sincerity and ruthlessness. And their marriage didn’t seem like it started off as an equal partnership, although obviously we never know the private ins and outs and it certainly seemed like Melinda Gates was her own force in the foundation. But it seems really sad just on a human level.

[WOT?*]

And of course this is the first place I came to see if it was posted. I’m surprised as everyone else. I’ve always thought of them as rock solid as any couple could be.
I don’t think we’ll ever know the reasons. They’ve always been pretty locked up, and they won’t expose their kids to anything either.

[Deleted]

I have no emotions about this, but i am sorry for them and their family.

The accountant in me shudders at the thought of dividing those assets. They are about to make some lawyers and CPAs very wealthy.

[msmerymac]

May 3, 2021 16:26:26 GMT -5 @peep said:

I have no emotions about this, but i am sorry for them and their family.

The accountant in me shudders at the thought of dividing those assets. They are about to make some lawyers and CPAs very wealthy.

Well hey, if Jeff Bezos can divorce...

[sofamonkey]

May 3, 2021 16:11:56 GMT -5 acuore said:

I'm surprised, too. My guess is infidelity on one or both sides. 

I don’t understand why this comment is necessary.

Nor do I understand why it’s bugging me so much.

[underwaterrhymes]

I actually gasped out loud when I read this. Add me to the shocked column.

[lemoncupcake]

May 3, 2021 16:43:59 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

I actually gasped out loud when I read this. Add me to the shocked column.

Me too - I recently watched the Netflix documentary series about him and they seemed to have a lot of mutual respect for each other.

Their foundation work is so impressive; I’m glad they’ll continue doing that together.

[vamoose]

I mean, I know next to nothing about their relationship. They always seemed to talk fondly of each other in interviews. In my head, they are living the fantasy retirement of loving companionship, a shared interest in learning and growing, fabulous wealth, and shared values and philanthropic goals and the means to pursue that in a very real and impactful way. I’m bummed to hear my fantasy life for them is not reality.

[Deleted]

May 3, 2021 16:31:32 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

May 3, 2021 16:26:26 GMT -5 @peep said:

I have no emotions about this, but i am sorry for them and their family.

The accountant in me shudders at the thought of dividing those assets. They are about to make some lawyers and CPAs very wealthy.

Well hey, if Jeff Bezos can divorce...

Agreed. I'm just too lazy for this*. I asked DH years ago if we could just live separately vs actually divorcing if we ever decide to split. He was...not receptive.

*Assuming addiction, financial infidelity, criminal activity or desire to marry someone else wasn't the reason for the split.

[sillygoosegirl]

May 3, 2021 16:56:05 GMT -5 lemoncupcake said:

May 3, 2021 16:43:59 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

I actually gasped out loud when I read this. Add me to the shocked column.

Me too - I recently watched the Netflix documentary series about him and they seemed to have a lot of mutual respect for each other.

Their foundation work is so impressive; I’m glad they’ll continue doing that together.

I really hope they actually DO continue doing that together, as they say they intend.  That seems like perhaps it could be very difficult. 

[mandymay]

May 3, 2021 16:43:59 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

I actually gasped out loud when I read this. Add me to the shocked column.

I'm sad to hear they're divorcing; however, I did laugh a little bit at the timing because last night John Oliver was joking about Melinda's response to Bill's putting trackers in vaccines as ridiculous because she said the technology isn't possible, and he never talked with her about it. John thought that was a weird rebuttal to the accusation, saying people don't necessarily tell their spouses everything.

[elleblue]

May 3, 2021 17:35:10 GMT -5 mandymay said:

May 3, 2021 16:43:59 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

I actually gasped out loud when I read this. Add me to the shocked column.

I'm sad to hear they're divorcing; however, I did laugh a little bit at the timing because last night John Oliver was joking about Melinda's response to Bill's putting trackers in vaccines as ridiculous because she said the technology isn't possible, and he never talked with her about it. John thought that was a weird rebuttal to the accusation, saying people don't necessarily tell their spouses everything.

That clip was the first thing I thought of too.

[MixedBerryJam]

Bill and Melinda Gates have always had the same vibe to me as Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson and so I don't know how to process them divorcing. On the upside it's none of my business anyway but I'm surprised and surprisingly sad. I wish them both the best. Also I knew they had at least one kid but I had no idea they had three so hopefully they all get the continued privacy they deserve. ETA Or what vamoose said.

[acuore]

May 3, 2021 16:36:03 GMT -5 sofamonkey said:

May 3, 2021 16:11:56 GMT -5 acuore said:

I'm surprised, too. My guess is infidelity on one or both sides. 

I don’t understand why this comment is necessary.

Nor do I understand why it’s bugging me so much.

Strictly speaking, none of this thread is necessary. None of us know these people or have any reason to be dwelling on their personal lives. 

[rupertpenny]

IDK, I'm mildly surprised but not shocked.

27 years is a good run. They are both very busy people, maybe they just grew apart.

[sofamonkey]

May 3, 2021 18:18:59 GMT -5 acuore said:

May 3, 2021 16:36:03 GMT -5 sofamonkey said:

I don’t understand why this comment is necessary.

Nor do I understand why it’s bugging me so much.

Strictly speaking, none of this thread is necessary. None of us know these people or have any reason to be dwelling on their personal lives. 

Oh. Ok.

[aurora]

This also surprised me. I hope they can separate amicably, both for their and their family's sakes but also so that their foundation can continue.

[AJL]

Well shit. Who gets custody of all these covid vaccine microchips?

[mouse]

May 3, 2021 19:27:15 GMT -5 AJL said:

Well shit. Who gets custody of all these covid vaccine microchips?

It’ll be like that scene in Annie - whoever can call the zombie army to them gets to keep them.

[tacokick]

It’s always a little surprising IMO when people married that long split.

Their youngest is about 18 so maybe they were hanging in until they graduated HS?

They’ve talked before about work-life balance being an issue with him.

[tacokick]

Saw this old odd interview where he talks about his marriage

content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1120657-12,00.html

he goes on a yearly vacation with an ex girlfriend among other tidbits

[sofamonkey]

May 3, 2021 22:46:39 GMT -5 mofongo said:

May 3, 2021 18:18:59 GMT -5 acuore said:

Strictly speaking, none of this thread is necessary. None of us know these people or have any reason to be dwelling on their personal lives. 

Then message boards, and really any and all conversation should cease to exist. Lol. 

I have no real thoughts about it, I’m a little shocked, but not really? I wish them both the best.

I mean, you personally have enough interesting (sometimes literal) shit going on, we could just have a mofo board. 😂😂💩

[downtoearth]

May 3, 2021 22:26:06 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Saw this old odd interview where he talks about his marriage

content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1120657-12,00.html

he goes on a yearly vacation with an ex girlfriend among other tidbits

I was surprised by the news only because I thought they were already split, but still working together. I think there have been rumors of a somewhat mutual open marriage agreement among the Microsoft friends and family I knew who worked there for decades (several are now retired boomers). But one article I just read said Melinda wrote a book last year that was very flattering to their marriage... so who knows. Rich people often have very different marriages that maybe are unique arrangements, but I can’t imagine that they still don’t want to be supported and have love beyond both being passionate about shared philanthropy work together.

[ECB]

May 3, 2021 21:51:21 GMT -5 tacokick said:

It’s always a little surprising IMO when people married that long split.

Their youngest is about 18 so maybe they were hanging in until they graduated HS?

They’ve talked before about work-life balance being an issue with him.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it's really as simple as they've been pretty much been living separate lives for a long time and have decided to make it official.  Kids being out of the house could be a motivating factor for this.   

And in turn - I would think this gives better chances for them to continue their work together.  

Who knows.  All speculation.