Gates-Melinda officially divorced

The divorce between Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates_ co-founders of one of the world s largest private charitable foundations_ has been finalised on Monday_ a court document showed.

The couple filed for their divorce on May 3 after 27 years of marriage_ but pledged to continue their philanthropic work together. The Gateses said at the time that they had reached agreement on how to divide their marital assets.

No details of that agreement were disclosed in the final divorce order filed on Monday in King County Superior Court in Seattle.

The court did not issue money_ property or spousal support judgments in the divorce. It said the couple must comply with the terms of the separation contract that was not filed in King County Superior Court.

The Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has become one of the most powerful and influential forces in global public health_ spending more than $50 billion over the past two decades to bring a business approach to combating poverty and disease.

The Gateses have backed widely praised programmes in malaria and polio eradication_ child nutrition and vaccines. The foundation last year committed some $1.75 billion to Covid-19 relief.