I wonder if she thought of turning it off and back on again ...

Melinda Gates's divorce petition calls marriage with Bill Gates 'irretrievably broken'

Melinda Gates says her marriage to Bill Gates is "irretrievably broken" following news that the pair plan to split up after 27 years.

Gates wrote in court documents obtained by NBC News that "spousal support is not needed" and that a separation agreement would determine property divisions.

"We ask the court to dissolve our marriage and find that our marital community ended on the date stated in our separation contract," the document said, according to NBC.

The outlet noted that it was unclear if the couple had separated beforehand or if Gates was referring to a prenuptial agreement.

Bill and Melinda Gates announced on Monday that they would be divorcing after 27 years of marriage.

"After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” they wrote in a statement released on Twitter. "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."

In 2000, the Microsoft co-founder and his wife established the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has launched various global health initiatives. The foundation has more recently committed millions of dollars to helping combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

In their statement, they said they would continue to work together on the foundation.

NBC noted that the couple's eldest daughter, Jennifer Katharine Gates, 25, also released a statement, writing it has "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," she added.

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