Melinda Gates' Net Worth May Surprise You

On May 3, Bill Gates shocked many by announcing that he and his wife of 27 years, Melinda Gates, are divorcing. Bill shared the news in a statement on Twitter. "After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage," the statement reads. "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. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life."

The statement has left more questions than answers as to what could have led to the couple splitting after more than three decades together. The philanthropic couple may be known for giving, but it's the massive fortune from which their philanthropy is made possible that many are curious about.

TMZ reports that the couple does not have a prenup. Additionally, Melinda Gates is not asking Bill Gates for any spousal support. Together, the outlet estimates that Bill and Melinda's combined net worth is approximately $130 billion, though that number is often changing due to the large monetary donations they've been known to make, like the $250 million donated toward fighting COVID-19 globally in late 2020 (per The Gates Foundation).

Melinda's solo net worth is nothing to snub. She worked at Microsoft for a decade after graduating Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. She left the company to focus on the couple's growing family. During her time at Microsoft she handled the marketing on some of its biggest products, including Expedia (per Spear's WMS). It's believed that Melinda herself is worth $70 billion (via Celebrity Net Worth).