Bill and Melinda announce they are divorcing after 27 years of marriage

Washington, May 04: Bill and Melinda Gates announced that they will be divorcing. The co-founder of Microsoft and his wife, who launched the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation however said that they would continue to work together for the world's largest charitable foundation.

"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 said in a statement. "We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life," they said.

"After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage," they said in a joint statement.

"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. We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives."

Melinda and Bill met at Microsoft in 1987, after she joined the firm. They married in 1994.