Bill and Melinda Gates split after 27 years of marriage

Bill and Melinda Gates have decided to file a divorce after 27 years of marriage.

Taking to Twitter on Monday, the billionaire couple issued a joint statement announcing their divorce. They first met each other in the 1980s.

"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 began.

"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 and productive lives, they 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 this next phase of our lives," the couple said.

The billionaire couple shares three children and jointly runs the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Bill and Melinda, in the statement, urged everyone to give them space and privacy for their family as they begin to navigate "this new life".