Bill Gates Reportedly Told His Golf Buddies That His Marriage to Melinda Gates Was 'Loveless'He and Melinda French Gates jointly announced their divorce early this month.

Before news ofBill Gates' divorce from his wife, Melinda French Gates, became public, he told his golf buddies about the couple's relationship problems and even described his marriage as loveless, according to a report bythe New York Post.

"Bill did talk to his close friends on the golf course," a source told the Post. "He told them a while back that the marriage was loveless, that it had been over for some time and they were living separate lives."

Gates, an avid golfer, was at his $12.5 million mansion at The Vintage Club, an exclusive California golf club, when news of his divorce broke, a source told Page Six on Tuesday. He had been staying there for three months, the source said.

Related:Bill Gates hides from his wife at a luxurious billionaire golf club

The Post's latest article joins a growing number of reports that suggest a rocky relationship between the philanthropist couple in recent years, contrasting with their public statements. French Gates told Insider in 2019 thather husband was "incredibly supportive"and had encouraged her to develop her career. She added that the couple still did the dishes together every night to keep the partnership equal.

Announcing their divorce on May 3, the couple said in a joint statement: "We no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives."

Related:Melinda Gates Was Reportedly Haunted by Bill's Relationship With Jeffrey Epstein

French Gates said in the divorce filings that their27-year marriagewas "irretrievably broken." She added that the two were already separated.

Reports have suggested that French Gates sought divorce lawyers in 2019, about the same timeas Gates' ties with Jeffrey Epsteinsurfaced.

The Daily Beastreported that shehad warned her husband years earlier about Epstein, who was known to have been convicted of sex crimes before the two were said to have begun meeting for business. Gates' willingness to meet with Epstein made her "furious," the publication reported, citing sources close to the couple.

A report from The New York Times also suggested thatFrench Gates' body language at events with Gates gave away her unhappiness years before their divorce announcement.

A source told People the couple wanted towait until their youngest daughter turned 18before they announced divorce, while the New York Post has reported that they may have timed the announcementto avoid clashing with Warren Buffett's annual shareholder meeting.