“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” the couple, well-known for their wealth and commitment to philanthropy, said in a statement.
The pair spent nearly three decades together in a relationship that focused on philanthropy, work and family. Together, they were one of the richest and most philanthropic power couples in the world.
Here’s a timeline that breaks down the biggest moments of their relationship.
Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft (MSFT), which launched in 1975, and he met Melinda French through the company in 1987. At the time, Bill was the CEO of Microsoft and Melinda worked in product development.
But it was hardly love at first sight. “When we first met, she had other boyfriends, and I had Microsoft,” Bill said in a 2019 Netflix docuseries “Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates.” Melinda echoed that sentiment in the docuseries, saying, “I was new to Microsoft. There were a lot of men…