Tiny
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 29, 2010 21:22:34 GMT -5
Posts: 13,369
|
Post by Tiny on May 4, 2021 12:46:31 GMT -5
Just read this... www.cnn.com/2021/05/03/tech/bill-and-melinda-gates-divorce/index.htmlAnd my first thought was - guess Bill is gonna get his "trophy wife" soon. And Melinda can move on to a younger guy too (Bill's 9 years older than she is). But, seriously, is there a financial/business reason a couple like Bill and Melinda would divorce? Is this just a "planned milestone" in their life journey? I assume they are wealthy enough to rarely have to see each other or even interact if they didn't want to do that. I suspect they could even manage an "open marriage" with very little repercussion to their reputations or endeavors. I guess not being "married" removes some of the "public expectations" for her duties as Bill declines in health... he's 9 years older than she is. Is the legality of "marriage" all that important when you have billions? (I guess they won't get the tax benefits of being Married filing jointly.  
|
|
billisonboard
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 22:45:44 GMT -5
Posts: 37,494
|
Post by billisonboard on May 4, 2021 12:54:00 GMT -5
Washington is a community property state and I assume that is their legal residence. This means .... hell I have no idea what it means for a couple like them.
|
|
wvugurl26
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 15:25:30 GMT -5
Posts: 21,719
|
Post by wvugurl26 on May 4, 2021 13:03:16 GMT -5
The article I read said they had a separation contract. I would say it's all divided up already.
|
|
NomoreDramaQ1015
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 14:26:32 GMT -5
Posts: 47,273
Member is Online
|
Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on May 4, 2021 13:14:03 GMT -5
I imagine at that level if you have grown apart it's a lot easier to divorce. You don't have to weigh all the financial repercussions that come with it. Melinda is not going to need to worry about keeping the lights on and the kids fed.
|
|
imawino
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 22:58:16 GMT -5
Posts: 5,359
|
Post by imawino on May 4, 2021 13:44:44 GMT -5
Just read this... www.cnn.com/2021/05/03/tech/bill-and-melinda-gates-divorce/index.htmlAnd my first thought was - guess Bill is gonna get his "trophy wife" soon. And Melinda can move on to a younger guy too (Bill's 9 years older than she is). But, seriously, is there a financial/business reason a couple like Bill and Melinda would divorce? Is this just a "planned milestone" in their life journey? I assume they are wealthy enough to rarely have to see each other or even interact if they didn't want to do that. I suspect they could even manage an "open marriage" with very little repercussion to their reputations or endeavors. I guess not being "married" removes some of the "public expectations" for her duties as Bill declines in health... he's 9 years older than she is. Is the legality of "marriage" all that important when you have billions? (I guess they won't get the tax benefits of being Married filing jointly. I assume they are getting divorced because they don't want to be married to each other anymore? Isn't that usually the reason? I don't think the rest of your questions are relevant. For the most part if there is a financial reason to not divorce it's because you can't afford to, whether that means literally cannot afford to live on your own or cannot afford to maintain the lifestyle you desire. Their lifestyle won't suffer from divorce. As for trophy spouses, they don't strike me as the type though I know exceedingly little about them so I could absolutely be wrong. But if either or both move on to younger and shinier, who can begrudge them? They good they have done in the world outweighs any minor negative baggage that comes along with a shallow choice in second mate.
|
|
imawino
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 22:58:16 GMT -5
Posts: 5,359
|
Post by imawino on May 4, 2021 13:45:48 GMT -5
Washington is a community property state and I assume that is their legal residence. This means .... hell I have no idea what it means for a couple like them. It means they'll both still be rich.
|
|
laterbloomer
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 26, 2018 0:50:42 GMT -5
Posts: 4,350
|
Post by laterbloomer on May 4, 2021 15:14:28 GMT -5
Their divorce makes me sad. I liked the idea of them getting together in college, getting rich together, doing their philanthropy together...my own little modern day fairy tale down the drain. ☹
|
|
imawino
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 22:58:16 GMT -5
Posts: 5,359
|
Post by imawino on May 4, 2021 15:19:12 GMT -5
Their divorce makes me sad. I liked the idea of them getting together in college, getting rich together, doing their philanthropy together...my own little modern day fairy tale down the drain. ☹ It is a bit of a downer...I'm sure more for them than the rest of us! But I don't think they met at college - they have a 9 year age gap. Still, they seem like a nice couple that did good work together. But I guess they will continue to be good individuals that do good work together, or maybe apart.
|
|
Tiny
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 29, 2010 21:22:34 GMT -5
Posts: 13,369
|
Post by Tiny on May 4, 2021 17:39:20 GMT -5
Just read this... www.cnn.com/2021/05/03/tech/bill-and-melinda-gates-divorce/index.htmlAnd my first thought was - guess Bill is gonna get his "trophy wife" soon. And Melinda can move on to a younger guy too (Bill's 9 years older than she is). But, seriously, is there a financial/business reason a couple like Bill and Melinda would divorce? Is this just a "planned milestone" in their life journey? I assume they are wealthy enough to rarely have to see each other or even interact if they didn't want to do that. I suspect they could even manage an "open marriage" with very little repercussion to their reputations or endeavors. I guess not being "married" removes some of the "public expectations" for her duties as Bill declines in health... he's 9 years older than she is. Is the legality of "marriage" all that important when you have billions? (I guess they won't get the tax benefits of being Married filing jointly. I assume they are getting divorced because they don't want to be married to each other anymore? Isn't that usually the reason? I don't think the rest of your questions are relevant. For the most part if there is a financial reason to not divorce it's because you can't afford to, whether that means literally cannot afford to live on your own or cannot afford to maintain the lifestyle you desire. Their lifestyle won't suffer from divorce. As for trophy spouses, they don't strike me as the type though I know exceedingly little about them so I could absolutely be wrong. But if either or both move on to younger and shinier, who can begrudge them? They good they have done in the world outweighs any minor negative baggage that comes along with a shallow choice in second mate. I see what you mean. I guess I was pondering aloud and trying to tease out the "legal" aspects of being married, sometimes the necessity of being married (from a financial stand point), and the emotional aspects of it. And I get the 'tackiness' of my first thought going to "trophy wife". Maybe "trophy wife" wasn't the appropriate word. Just that he might re marry and that it might be to someone much younger. I don't really see Bill Gates as 'playing the field' now or in the past. But I do see him as getting married again. He strikes me as a guy who enjoys/needs to be married and "serial" monogamy would seem a likely fit. My impression could just be from the fact that there's been no media hype about prior bad marriage behavior. FYI: I harbor no ill will nor do I think badly of them.
|
|
tallguy
Senior Associate
Joined: Apr 2, 2011 19:21:59 GMT -5
Posts: 14,164
|
Post by tallguy on May 4, 2021 19:51:37 GMT -5
Their divorce makes me sad. I liked the idea of them getting together in college, getting rich together, doing their philanthropy together...my own little modern day fairy tale down the drain. ☹ It is a bit of a downer...I'm sure more for them than the rest of us! But I don't think they met at college - they have a 9 year age gap. Still, they seem like a nice couple that did good work together. But I guess they will continue to be good individuals that do good work together, or maybe apart. I think I saw that they met when she was hired at Microsoft in 1987. Bill Gates spent two years at Harvard...when Melinda was in elementary school.
|
|
laterbloomer
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 26, 2018 0:50:42 GMT -5
Posts: 4,350
|
Post by laterbloomer on May 4, 2021 20:11:32 GMT -5
It is a bit of a downer...I'm sure more for them than the rest of us! But I don't think they met at college - they have a 9 year age gap. Still, they seem like a nice couple that did good work together. But I guess they will continue to be good individuals that do good work together, or maybe apart. I think I saw that they met when she was hired at Microsoft in 1987. Bill Gates spent two years at Harvard...when Melinda was in elementary school. I read that after. But they are each other's first spouse.
|
|
Tennesseer
Member Emeritus
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 21:58:42 GMT -5
Posts: 63,534
|
Post by Tennesseer on May 4, 2021 20:16:12 GMT -5
The Gates have three children together. I don't expect them to turn on each other. They will continue to work together on their family and their philanthropy projects.
|
|
djAdvocate
Member Emeritus
only posting when the mood strikes me.
Joined: Jun 21, 2011 12:33:54 GMT -5
Posts: 75,165
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"000307"}
|
Post by djAdvocate on May 4, 2021 23:04:16 GMT -5
The Gates have three children together. I don't expect them to turn on each other. They will continue to work together on their family and their philanthropy projects. agreed. they just want to do different things with the balance of their lives.
|
|
Spellbound454
Senior Member
"In the end, we remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends"
Joined: Sept 9, 2011 17:28:42 GMT -5
Posts: 3,988
|
Post by Spellbound454 on May 6, 2021 16:51:01 GMT -5
Thats too bad Whats his number........
|
|
Artemis Windsong
Senior Associate
The love in me salutes the love in you. M. Williamson
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 19:32:12 GMT -5
Posts: 12,319
Today's Mood: Twinkling
Location: Wishing Star
Favorite Drink: Fresh, clean cold bottled water.
|
Post by Artemis Windsong on May 6, 2021 17:11:55 GMT -5
After all the years together, I don't understand how they didn't have a truce of do your own thing.
What is the undercurrent of "irretrievably broken".
|
|
NoNamePerson
Distinguished Associate
Is There Anybody OUT There?
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 17:03:17 GMT -5
Posts: 25,731
Location: WITNESS PROTECTION
Member is Online
|
Post by NoNamePerson on May 6, 2021 17:33:08 GMT -5
OMG I’m going to lose a nights sleep over this tragic event. Wish I hadn’t heard the news.
|
|
djAdvocate
Member Emeritus
only posting when the mood strikes me.
Joined: Jun 21, 2011 12:33:54 GMT -5
Posts: 75,165
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"000307"}
|
Post by djAdvocate on May 8, 2021 19:36:17 GMT -5
Thats too bad Whats his number........ I guess. I would describe it as "normal".
|
|
thyme4change
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 26, 2010 13:54:08 GMT -5
Posts: 40,417
Member is Online
|
Post by thyme4change on May 11, 2021 12:28:25 GMT -5
He is only 9 years older than her? Last I saw them, he looked 20 years older than her. Sheesh.
He also looks like he could be my father's brother. #allwhitepeoplelookthesame
|
|
wvugurl26
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 15:25:30 GMT -5
Posts: 21,719
|
Post by wvugurl26 on May 11, 2021 12:40:39 GMT -5
The Wall Street Journal says Melinda has been working on this divorce since 2019. They are blaming it on Bill being linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
|
|