Late Monday afternoon, Melinda Gates applied for divorce from Bill Gates.

According to Melinda’s divorce petition, which was accessed by TMZ and lodged in King County, Washington, the pair does not have a prenuptial arrangement and will instead split their properties based on a separation agreement.

Melinda, 56, said “this marriage is irretrievably broken” and revealed there was no pre-nuptial arrangement when they married on a Hawaiian golf course in 1994.

The pair negotiated a “separation contract” agreeing how to split their personal property, assets, and collection of luxury properties, so a violent battle over their considerable wealth seems unthinkable.

“Spousal support is not needed,” Melinda wrote in the petition.

In her divorce motion, she wrote, “We ask the court to dissolve our marriage and find that our marital community ended on the date stated in our separation contract.”

It is not clear when Bill and Melinda separated.

Jennifer, the couple’s eldest daughter, posted on Instagram about the news, writing, “It’s been a challenging stretch of time for our whole family.”

“I’m still learning how to best support my own process and emotions as well as family members at this time, and I am grateful for the space to do so. I won’t personally comment further on anything around the separation, but please know that your kind words and support mean the world to me.”

On Monday, Melinda also filed an automatic restraining injunction imposing financial constraints on her and Bill, limiting their right to sell property or adjust insurance plans until both consent in writing or the court orders it.

Except as otherwise agreed in writing, they will each be liable for their own potential debts. They’ll have access to each other’s tax, financial, legal, and household information.

Microsoft was established in 1975, and Gates, 65, the world’s fourth richest individual, met his future wife in 1987, the year he became the world’s youngest billionaire.

During their marriage, they had three children – Jennifer, 25, Rory, 21, and Phoebe, 18 – and established the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000.

Their most recent public outing as a couple was at a virtual rally to help healthcare staff fighting Covid-19 two weeks ago.

“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” they wrote in the letter confirming their divorce.

“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.”

“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. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life.”

What Does “Irretrievably Broken” Mean?

No-fault divorce is a practice that most people are acquainted with. It encourages any partner to file for divorce without needing to claim the other spouse committed such actions, as cruelty or abandonment, to warrant terminating the union.

Irretrievably Broken

In essence, claiming that an union is irretrievably broken implies that there is little that can be done to save the relationship. When the spouses agree to the divorce, a declaration to that effect is accepted as evidence; but, if the divorce is disputed and one spouse claims the union may be restored, proof that the partnership is irretrievably broken must be offered. There are examples of cases that a partner may use to refute arguments that the divorce should not be given, such as:

• Adultery, making the continuation of marriage intolerable;
• Acts that made the marriage physically or emotionally unsafe for a spouse;
• Abandonment by one spouse for at least six months prior to filing for divorce; or
• Living in separate households for a long-term and continuous basis.