Melinda Gates rented a private island before the divorce announcement from billionaire Bill Gates, TMZ reported Thursday.
Everyone in the family was invited to spend time on Calivigny Island in Grenada to get away from media inquiries that were sure to follow the announcement, except for Bill, sources told TMZ.
The divorce between Melinda and Bill was not amicable, and the entire family took Melinda’s side, TMZ reported. Melinda and Bill’s lawyers were reportedly trying to split assets at the time, but Melinda went to the island anyway. (RELATED: Bill Gates’ Ex-Wife Could Beat Out Bezos’ $35 Billion Divorce Settlement By A Landslide)
The couple first announced their divorce to the world Monday in a joint statement shared to their respective social media accounts.
— Melinda French Gates (@melindagates) May 3, 2021
“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,” the statement said.
“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 the next phase of our lives,” the statement continued.
It’s unclear exactly how the Gates fortune will be split between the two, but it was reported that Bill’s investment firm transferred almost $2 billion in stock to Melinda on the day the divorce was announced, the New York Post reported.