Bill and Melinda Gates' daughter Jennifer calls their divorce 'a challenging stretch of time'

Jennifer Gates, the eldest daughter of Bill and Melinda Gates, has spoken out about her parents’ events.

In a statement shared to her Instagram Story on Monday, Jennifer, 25, addressed her “friends.”

“By now, many of you have heard the news that my parents are separating. It’s been a challenging stretch of time for our whole family,” Jennifer’s statement begins.

“I’m still learning how to best support my own process and emotions as well as family members at this time, and 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,” she continued.

BILL AND MELINDA GATES STARTED AS WORKPLACE ROMANCE THAT TURNED INTO 27 YEARS OF MARRIAGE

Jennifer also thanked readers for “understanding” her family’s desire for privacy at this time.

Bill Gates and his daughter Jennifer Gates, left, attend Global Champions Tour of Monaco at Port de Hercule on June 30, 2018 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.

Bill Gates and his daughter Jennifer Gates, left, attend Global Champions Tour of Monaco at Port de Hercule on June 30, 2018 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
(fotopress/Getty Images)

Additionally, Bill and Melinda’s daughter shared the same joint statement they released earlier in the day, confirming their split after 27 years of marriage.

The former couple said their decision to divorce came after a “great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship.”

BILL GATES SAYS ENDING COVID-19 PANDEMIC ‘EASIER’ THAN SOLVING CLIMATE CHANGE

“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, productive lives,” a tweet from the former pair reads.

“We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation,” it adds.

Gates and Melinda have a storied history together and began their decades-long relationship in 1987 after crossing paths at a dinner during a trade convention in New York when Melinda was hired on as a product manager at Microsoft.

“There were two chairs open… I sat down. The next chair was empty. Ten minutes later, Bill came in and sat down next to me,” Melinda recalled in 2019 interview during an episode of “The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations.”

GATES FOUNDATION COMMITS ANOTHER $250M IN CORONAVIRUS FIGHT

In the 2019 netflix” target=”_blank”>Netflix docuseries< on January 1, 1994, in Hawaii.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Throughout their 27 years as man and wife, the Gates would welcome three children: Jennifer, Rory, 21, and Phoebe, 18, and would also start their widely philanthropic Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000.

The pair currently share a net worth of more than $130 billion, although it remains unclear how their dissolution of assets will be handled or if the tech honcho will exercise a Jeff Bezos approach to his divorce and employ a quick close with a big check to Melinda.

Fox News’ Julius Young contributed to this report.

Leave a Reply