Media mogul Rupert Murdoch marries for the 5th time, 2 years after divorcing fourth wife
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Rupert Murdoch has married for a fifth time in a ceremony at his palatial Californian vineyard after months of rumour of him making out with Elena Zhukova, now his wife, soon after he abruptly called off his engagement to former police chaplain Ann Lesley Smith in April 2023.
Australian-born Murdoch, 93, tied the knot at the weekend with Zhukova, 67, a retired Russian biologist. His last marriage, to Jerry Hall, an American, ended in divorce in 2022.
Murdoch, who has six children, is chairman emeritus of News Corporation, which owns Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, the Sun and the Times.
He stepped down as chairman of Fox and News Corp last year, leaving his son Lachlan to head both companies.
Murdoch and Zhukova are said to have met at a party hosted by one of his ex-wives, Chinese-born entrepreneur Wendi Deng, per the BBC.
His other former spouses are Australian flight attendant Patricia Booker, Scottish-born journalist Anna Mann, and US model and actress Hall.
Zhukova was previously married to Russian oil billionaire Alexander Zhukov, while their daughter Dasha – a socialite and businesswoman – was married to the Russian oligarch and former Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich until 2017.
Murdoch began his career in Australia in the 1950s – eventually buying the News of the World and the Sun newspapers in the UK in 1969.
He later purchased a number of US publications including the New York Post and Wall Street Journal.
In 1996, he launched Fox News – now the most-watched TV news channel in the US.
Through News Corp, which was founded in 2013, Murdoch remains the owner of hundreds of local, national and international media outlets.
His career has not been without controversy. One of his most damaging moments was the notorious UK phone-hacking scandal that erupted after it emerged that the News of the World had listened to murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler’s voicemails.
Last September, Murdoch announced he was stepping back from the leading role in his media empire – handing the reins to his son Lachlan and later taking on the role of Chairman Emeritus of both Fox and News Corp.
The Sun released photos of Murdoch alongside Zhukova, at his vineyard in Bel-Air, California, where the ceremony took place.
CNN adds Zhukova is the mother of Russian American art collector Dasha Zhukova.
Murdoch, who has a net worth of $9.77 billion, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index, began dating Zhukova last summer, per the New York Times. The couple announced their engagement in March.
The newly weds
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