Media mogul Rupert Murdoch, 93, has tied the knot for the fifth time in a lavish ceremony at his Californian vineyard. The lucky lady is Elena Zhukova, 67, a retired Russian biologist.
The couple’s romance sparked rumors after Murdoch’s engagement to ex-police chaplain Ann Lesley Smith was called off in April 2023. They reportedly met at a party hosted by one of Murdoch’s ex-wives, Chinese-born entrepreneur Wendi Deng.
Murdoch, the chairman emeritus of News Corporation, which owns major media outlets like Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, the Sun, and the Times, has had a colorful personal life. His previous marriages include Australian flight attendant Patricia Booker, Scottish-born journalist Anna Mann, and US model and actress Jerry Hall.
Zhukova, who was previously married to Russian oil billionaire Alexander Zhukov, has a daughter, Dasha, who was married to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich until 2017.
Murdoch’s career in media began in Australia in the 1950s, and he went on to acquire major publications in the UK and the US, including the News of the World, the Sun, the New York Post, and the Wall Street Journal. He also founded Fox News in 1996, which is now the most-watched TV news channel in the US.
Despite his success, Murdoch’s career has not been without controversy, notably the UK phone-hacking scandal involving the News of the World. Last year, he announced his step back from his leading role in his media empire, passing the reins to his son Lachlan and taking on the role of Chairman Emeritus of both Fox and News Corp.
