By Motlagae Konyana
Bill and Melinda Gates shocked the world when they announced their plans to divorce. Social Media went abuzz with everyone asking how will they divide up their wealth.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is the fourth richest man globally, with an estimated net worth of over $124 billion.
He gave his estranged wife Melinda more than 14 million shares of the Canadian National Railway Company and 2.9 million shares of AutoNation. Together, this stock is more than 1.8 billion dollars (R25 879, 410, 000,00) in stock.
READ: Bill & Melinda Gates divorce after 27 years of marriage
Melinda is a former manager at Microsoft. The estranged couple co-founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000. The non-profit is dedicated to fighting poverty, disease, and inequity worldwide. It works towards combating diseases like HIV/AIDS, polio and malaria.
The estranged couple announced the plans of their divorce on 3 May 2021 in a joint social media statement.
“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” the message from the philanthropists read. “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 confirmed that they would continue to work together on their charitable endeavors.
“We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation,” the statement continued, “but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in the next phase of our lives.”



