In a lot of ways, this last year feels like the year of surprising divorces. Sure, celebrities get married and get divorced a few months later all the time- it’s one of the main things we make fun of the rich and famous for. In recent months, though, the news of longer-term marriages breaking up has been popping up all over. Elliot Page and Emma Portner were married for 3 years before filing for divorce, Kim and Kanye were together for 8 years and married for 6, Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock were married for 8 years. None of these fit in with the famously short “6 week marriages” of the early 2000s, but none of these shock quite as much as the news that after 27-years of marriage and collaboration, Bill and Melinda Gates are calling it quits.

With such a solid joint-statement issued, this divorce certainly doesn’t carry the same kind of drama that most celebrity divorces do, but that hasn’t stopped this from being a hot topic since the announcement was made. Another thing that makes this divorce distinct from other celebrity splits is that the two work with each other on a lot of projects through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. So far, it sounds like they intend to continue to do so and to do so happily. This is not a messy break-up, from the outside looking in, but it is still quite a shock!

What do you think? Was this a total shock or just a matter of time? Have any recent celebrity divorces shocked you lately? Let us know!