(RightWing.org) – Australian billionaire Rupert Murdoch stepped down as the head of his media empire in late 2023, presumably leaving his son, Lachlan Murdoch, to run his Fox brands, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Sky Television, and the Times of London. He divorced his wife the previous year, but a recent news report indicates the 93-year-old entrepreneur is once again lucky in love.
On March 7, The New York Times broke the news that Murdoch had announced his plan to marry his girlfriend, 67-year-old retired molecular biologist Elena Zhukova. The two reportedly started dating last summer shortly after he decided to cancel his upcoming nuptials with Ann Lesley Smith. He presented Smith, the then-66-year-old former dental hygienist with an engagement ring in March 2023 but decided to call off the wedding two weeks later.
The NY Times reports that a spokesperson for Murdoch confirmed that prospective attendees have already received invitations for the June wedding. The ceremony is slated to occur at Moraga, Murdoch’s California estate and vineyard.
In August 2023, The Daily Mail reported that Murdoch started dating Zhukova after his third wife, Wendi Deng, introduced them. The media outlet reported that she is the mother of Dasha Zhukova, a Russian socialite married to Roman Abramovich, a well-known Russian oligarch and former owner of the Chelsea Football Club.
This will be Murdoch’s fifth marriage. He’s been married since 1956, with two short breaks. He was married to his first wife, Patricia Booker, from 1956 to 1967, Ana Maria Torv from 1967 to 1999, Wendi Deng from 1999 to 2013, and Jerry Hall from 2016 to 2022.
Murdoch has six children and 13 grandchildren. The NY Times reported that his upcoming marriage is unlikely to affect the future ownership of his various companies. A family trustee currently controls a family trust with shares owned by a child from his first marriage and three from his second. His other two children are minors.
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