Bill and Melinda Gates' daughter Jennifer has opened up about the "challenging time" it's been for the family and her parents announced their divorce. The millionaire magnates announced their shock split in a <a href="https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1389316412259270657" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joint statement</a> on social media on May 3, effectively ending their 27-year marriage. Bill said he is proud of what he and Melinda have achieved over nearly three decades but admits they can't continue into the next phase of their life as a couple. Shortly after the statement emerged online, 25-year-old Jennifer took to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jenniferkgates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> to ask for privacy for her family during this "challenging stretch of time". <img class="size-full wp-image-1263105847" src="https://img.vt.co/2021/05/jennifergates.jpeg" alt="" width="540" height="960" />[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / @jenniferkgates]] She wrote: <blockquote>"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."</blockquote> Jennifer is the eldest of the Gates' three children. Bill and Melinda are also parents to 19-year-old daughter Phoebe, and 22-year-old son Rory. [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/COK_WozHon2/]] Jennifer, a Stanford graduate, took a year off to focus on her equestrian career before attending Mount Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine in New York. Since graduating, she has found love with Egyptian equestrian Nayel Nassar, and the pair are now engaged, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/30/sport/jennifer-gates-engaged-nayel-nassar-intl-scli-spt/index.html#:~:text=(CNN)%20Bill%20Gates'%20daughter,2020%20Tokyo%20Olympics%2C%20had%20proposed." target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> reported. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1389316412259270657]]  Her post comes as Bill and Melinda - who share a net worth of well over $100 billion - posted a <a href="https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1389316412259270657" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joint statement</a> on social media on May 3 as they announced their divorce. The statement read: <blockquote>"After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage. "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. "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."</blockquote> The pair met in the late 1980s when Melinda joined her soon-to-be husband's Microsoft firm. They tied the knot in January 1994 and went on to welcome three children. <h6>Featured image credit: REUTERS / Alamy</h6>

Bill and Melinda Gates' daughter Jennifer describes parents' divorce as a 'challenging time'

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