Bill Gates and wife Melinda reportedly do not have a prenup, according to court docs

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By Nika Shakhnazarova

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After Bill Gates and his wife Melinda announced news of their divorce on April 3, it emerged that the pair reportedly did not have a prenup in place.

Court documents obtained by TMZ reveal that the couple did not sign a prenuptial agreement prior to their wedding, despite their billion-dollar net worth.

Per TMZ, it was Melinda who pulled the plug on their 27-year marriage as she filed for divorce from the Microsoft founder.

Melinda, 56, wrote that the marriage was "irretrievably broken" when she was forced to provide a reason for the split, the publication reports.

The document, which was filed in King County Superior Court in Seattle, notes that Bill and Melinda had a "separation agreement," but not a prenup.

A separation agreement is usually signed at the end of a marriage and lays out the terms of the split and the reason behind it.

And while that contract wasn't included in the pair's divorce filing, it's set to be a key factor in dictating how the couple will divide up their assets.

According to the filing, Melinda is not requesting spousal support.

Bill and Melinda - who share a net worth of well over $100 billion - posted a joint statement on social media on May 3 as they announced their divorce.

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Credit: Geoffrey Robinson / Alamy

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.

The statement read:

"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."

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.

Featured image credit: Xinhua / Alamy