Divorce documents reveal Melinda Gates could fight for kids to inherit more

Experts have revealed a surprising detail in the divorce filings of Microsoft founder and billionaire Bill Gates and his wife Melinda.

Melinda has named trust and estate lawyers in her divorce filings, which could mean efforts are being made behind the scenes to ensure the couple's children end up with more money than previously expected.

Bill had previously pledged most of his $130 billion fortune to charity when he dies, only leaving $10 million for each of the couple's three children Jennifer, 25, Rory, 21, and Phoebe, 18.

"It will mean they have to find their own way," the Guardian reported he said at the time.

However, divorce attorneys Harriet Newman Cohen and Martha Cohen Stine, who are not involved in the proceedings, told Page Six Melinda's decision to get "well-known trust and estate lawyers involved in the case" could indicate she wants them to inherit more.

"[It's] most unusual for trust and estate lawyers' names to be listed on a divorce filing," they said.

Newman Cohen added: "Now that Melinda has control, maybe she wanted to leave more to her children than $10 million each. Maybe she didn't agree".

"We see divorces for the reason that the mother wants to protect the children. She may be like every other woman... protecting her children."

Since Bill and Melinda announced their separation on May 4, rumours have swirled about the couple's relationship.

The Wall Street Journal reported he was told to step down from his position on the Microsoft board in 2020 as it investigated reports he had a sexual relationship with a company engineer that was "deemed inappropriate".

The allegations were confirmed by a spokesperson for Gates, but they said the affair ended "amicably" almost 20 years ago.