The world's fourth-wealthiest person is separating from his wife of nearly three decades, teeing up one of the most expensive divorces in history – and one which will rock the world of philanthropy and finance.

Bill Gates told his nearly 55 million followers on Twitter that he and wife Melinda are separating. As well as raising three children together, the duo have built up a $50 billion charitable endowment over their 27-year marriage. The Gates' foundation is viewed as a template for other wealthy families' charitable giving.

«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 the next phase of our lives,» the Gates said in their statement.

The Microsoft founder's $130 billion fortune makes him the world's fourth-wealthiest person, according to «Forbes». It also tees up an even more complex legal proceeding than the 2019 divorce of Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott – and heaps of puns.

The foundation, launched in 1994, has morphed into a frequently-cited template for other wealthy families looking to organize their charitable giving. The couple said they have agreed on division of assets, according to a divorce filing reported by «Reuters», but did not disclose details.

Charting A Path

Though the Gates said they would continue to work together on the foundation's goals, Melinda Gates began also charting a path for herself some time ago. In 2015, she launched a female-focused start-up, Pivotal Ventures. Two years ago, she published a book about empowering women, «The Moment of Lift».

This followed a heated argument in 2013 about Bill Gates' widely-read annual letter, which the couple then began co-writing as «our letter» in 2015. «He's had to learn how to be an equal, and I've had to learn how to step up and be an equal,» Melinda Gates wrote in her book.