Melinda Gates Rented Private Island To Hide From Press During Divorce Announcement

Amid reports that Bill Gates’ investment fund sent another $2 billion+ to Melinda Gates in the form of stock transfers following $1.8 billion in shares reportedly transferred earlier this week, TMZ is once again the leading source for news from within the Gates camp. Most recently, it reported that Melinda Gates rented Calivigny Island in Grenada for $132,000 a night. The plan was for Melinda and the kids, as well as their significant others, to come to the island. Everyone in the family would be there…except Bill Gates.

According to TMZ, there was a lot of acrimony following the split and pretty much everyone took Melinda’s side. The family is reportedly “very angry with Bill”.

The Bill and Melinda divorce has been a done deal for months, TMZ has learned, and they had a plan to announce it back in March … a plan that included renting a remote, private island where the entire family — with one BIG exception — could avoid the media once the announcement was made … sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ.

Our sources say Melinda Gates rented Calivigny Island in Grenada … yes, she rented the entire island for $132,000 a night. The plan was for Melinda and the kids, as well as their significant others, to come to the island — everyone except Bill. We’re told everyone in the family already knew Bill and Melinda were divorcing. There was a considerable amount of acrimony associated with the split and we’re told virtually everyone in the family took Melinda’s side. Another way of putting it … we’re told they were very angry at Bill, and that’s why he wasn’t invited.

The reason for going to the island … so no one from the media could reach them and ask about the split when it was announced during their stay.

But, there was a problem … lawyers for both Bill and Melinda were trying to hash out a divorce settlement and there were still outstanding issues that couldn’t be resolved at the time of the trip. We’re told Melinda decided to go anyway … well, with everyone BUT Bill.

Melinda reportedly wanted to go to the island so no one from the media could reach her and ask about the split when it was announced during their stay. She even defied pleas from her lawyers, who were working on a settlement with her husband, saying she needed to stick around to provide her input.

TMZ also reported that the Gates’ split has been a long time coming. The pair were on the cusp of announcing the news back in March, but it was delayed for some unknown reason.

Looking ahead, as the world awaits more information about the terms of their split, the NYT speculated in a reported published yesterday, “who gets Xanadu 2.0?” the Gates Family Mansion, valued upwards of $130MM.

The home was built in what has been described as the result of a fraught collaboration between Bill and Melinda. It’s also where the couple raised their three children – Jennifer, 25, Rory, 21, and Phoebe, 18 – some of whom may still live at home.