Bill Gates’ 2021 separation from his ex-wife, a divorce settlement of unprecedented magnitude,
has been etched in history as one of the most expensive.
In May 2021, Bill and Melinda Gates announced they separated after 27 years of marriage.
This news, which reverberated globally, was further complicated by the fact that the couple did not have a prenup before marriage,
adding a layer of complexity to the division of their assets.
Bill Gates’ net worth at the time of the divorce was estimated at around $130 billion,
most of which was controlled through private equity firm Cascade Investments.
The firm managed many of Gates’ assets, including company stocks, real estate, and other significant assets.
During the division of assets, Melinda Gates received a portion of the family’s priceless art collection,
estimated to be worth more than $124 million. The collection includes notable works such as Lost on the Grand Banks by Winslow Homer, valued at $36 million;
Room of Flowers by Childe Hassam, valued at approximately $20 million; and The Nursery by William Merritt Chase, valued at $10 million.
One of Bill Gates’ most notable assets was a manuscript by Leonardo da Vinci,
which he purchased in 1994 for $30.9 million. The famous $131 million mansion Xanadu 2.0 in Medina, Washington, was also considered in the division of assets.
The Gates family owned a collection of works of art, luxury vehicles, and numerous properties in various states in the United States.
Given the lack of a pre-divorce financial agreement,
it was initially thought that the assets would be divided equally or based on new contracts. Still, many of the assets went to Melinda without a legal dispute.
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Gates owns several farms and residential properties in different states. Among them are a farm in California worth approximately $ 18 million and a property in Wyoming with a massive plot of land. Properties in Florida and Montana are also listed on his assets.
At the time of the divorce, Melinda Gates announced that she had asked Bill Gates to take separate paths in their personal lives,
but both emphasized that they would continue to work together on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Established in 2000, the foundation is one of the largest private charitable institutions in the world and has spent billions of dollars on global health, education, and the fight against poverty.
Despite the divorce, both parties have tried to maintain a professional and effective working relationship. They announced that they remain committed to their shared mission of improving the lives of people worldwide,
a mission that has been the driving force behind their philanthropic work for decades.