Bill Gates told golf buddies ‘marriage was loveless’, Melinda and he ‘lived separate lives’, says insider
The golf pals of Bill Gates were reportedly the first ones to know about the trouble in his marriage with Melinda. The New York Post reported that the billionaire told his friends long ago that his marriage was “loveless” and he and his wife had been “living separate lives” for some time.
A source said, “Bill did talk to his close friends on the golf course. He told them a while back that the marriage was loveless, that it had been over for some time and they were living separate lives.” The now-estranged power couple tied the knot in 1994 next to the par-3, 12th hole on the golf course at the Manele Bay Hotel in Hawaii. Now as their divorce looms, Bill is also finding comfort in golf as he is staying at The Vintage Club in Indian Wells, California.
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The pair, who share three adult kids, announced their split with dual tweets that read, “After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage. Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable 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. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life.”
According to reports, Melinda had been in touch with divorce lawyers since 2019. This came around the same time when allegations were made that Bill had ties with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Another insider stated, “The split is no surprise to me. And any friendship with Epstein would have been a bone of contention for Melinda. There is no way that Melinda would have wanted to spend time with Epstein.”
Although Melinda was reportedly very upset with the friendship between Bill and the pedophile, taking the decision to divorce the 65-year-old co-founder of Microsoft Corporation was not easy for her because of her strict Roman Catholic faith, a source said. “She wants to get an annulment from the Vatican following the civil divorce, I’m told,” the insider, who has worked with her, added.
Meanwhile, it has been said that for the last three months, Bill is living at the California golf club -- “one of the United States’ most prestigious golf clubs” -- where he bought a home in 1990 for $12.5 million. He was recently seen with his 25-year-old daughter Jennifer and her partner, the Egyptian show jumper Nayel Nassar. “Bill clearly saw this divorce coming for a long time because he's been there for around three months. It is the perfect place for Bill to hide out from anyone who wants to question him about his divorce or his alleged ties to Epstein,” a source told Page Six.
Jennifer also said that it’s a “challenging stretch of time” for the family. She added: “I won't personally comment further on anything around the separation, but please know that your kind words and support mean the world to me.”