Media mogul Rupert Murdoch, the Australian-born American business magnate, investor, and media proprietor, has been making headlines after he announced his retirement from his company. Rupert is also known to be a dedicated family man with six children from his three marriages. He announced he would be stepping in as the CEO of Fox News’s parent company and his News Corp media holdings. Following this, his children became a topic after he said his eldest son, Lachlan, would succeed him, ensuring a continuity of leadership within the Murdoch family. Read on to find out more about Rupert Murdoch and his children.
Who Is Rupert Murdoch?
Keith Rupert Murdoch is a famous Australian-born American business magnate, media proprietor, and investor best known as the founder of the global media holding company News Corporation Ltd. —often called News Corp, founded in 1979. Thanks to his company, Rupert owns hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets worldwide, including The Sun and The Times, The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, and The Australian.
Rupert was once the owner of Sky (until 2018), 21st Century Fox (until 2019), and the now-defunct News of the World. As of March 2, 2022, Rupert was ranked as the 31st richest person in the United States of America and the 71st richest in the world, per Forbes magazine.
Rupert Murdoch Net Worth?
Rupert Murdoch is ranked among the wealthiest individuals in the United States, with a net worth of $19.6 billion; he earned his fortune as the founder of News Corp. Although his early career was marked with struggles, innovation, and controversy, Rupert today is a highly influential figure in the United States and worldwide, as he owns some of the most famous publishing outlets around the globe. He was ranked 31st richest person in the United States of America on March 2, 2022. Rupert was also ranked 71st richest in the world by Forbes magazine.
Who Are The Children of Rupert Murdoch?
Rupert Murdoch has four children, many of whom have had successful careers in Murdoch’s many businesses. He has been married four times. He was married to Patricia Booker (1956-1967), Anna Murdoch Man (1967-1999), Jerry Hall (2016), and Elena Zhukova. From his marriages, Rupert had six children: Lachlan Murdoch, James Murdoch, Elisabeth Murdoch, Grace Murdoch, Chloe Murdoch, and Prudence Murdoch.
Lachlan Murdoch
Lachlan Murdoch is one of Murdoch’s children from his second marriage, Anna. With his father’s retirement, Lachlan will become chairman of News Corp. and continue as CEO of Fox Corp., which owns conservative news network Fox News, the Fox broadcast and sports networks, and local TV stations. Since Disney bought 21st Century Fox in 2019, Lachlan has served as CEO of Fox Corp. Before the merger, he was the executive chairman of 21st Century Fox since 2015, while his brother, James, was CEO of Fox’s entertainment company in a power-sharing arrangement arranged by their father.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, Lachlan ascended through the executive levels of the family firm, then known as News Corp. From 2000 to 2005, he was deputy chief operating officer and chairman of Fox Television Stations and publisher of the New York Post. CNN reports that Lachlan departed 21st Century Fox in 2005 due to disagreements with previous CEO Roger Ailes about the network’s future but eventually returned as executive chairman. During his absence, he established the private investing firm Illyria Pty.
James Murdoch
Lachlan’s younger brother, James Murdoch, is one of the children from their father’s second marriage. In addition to his stint as CEO of 21st Century Fox, James had several executive positions at News Corp. Still, he resigned from the family-controlled publisher’s board due to material in its publications, including the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. James Murdoch, the most liberal of the Murdoch brothers, resigned in 2020.
Elizabeth Murdoch
Elisabeth Murdoch is the eldest child from Murdoch’s second marriage. Like her brothers, she started working her way up the family firm decades ago. She was ready to take on comparable duties but was given different leadership roles and eventually started her media endeavors. According to news sources at the time, Elisabeth worked as managing director of Sky Networks for British Sky Broadcasting in the late 1990s before leaving in the 2000s after being passed up for managing director.
A year later, she founded her own independent production business, Shine, which was acquired by News Corp in 2011. Elisabeth co-founded global content firm Sister in 2019 and continues to be an active entrepreneur and philanthropist in the entertainment and creative industries.
Prudence Murdoch Macleod
From Murdoch’s first marriage to Patricia, Prudence Murdoch MacLeod is his eldest child. While she may not have shown as much interest in leading the family business as some of her half-siblings, Prudence’s role is significant. She shares the same stake in the family trust as Lachlan, James, and Elisabeth, and she has an equal voice in decisions regarding the trust’s voting stock in both companies following Murdoch’s death.
Prudence had a close relationship with News Corp. and held several posts there. The UK publisher’s website states that she was a Times Newspapers, Ltd. board member from December 2010 to March 2022. News UK, owned by News Corporation, includes Times Newspapers as one of its divisions.
Grace and Chloe Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch’s youngest children are Grace and Chloe, whom he has with his third wife, Wendi Deng. According to media sources and LinkedIn profiles, Grace attends Yale University, and Chloe attends Stanford University. The two benefit from many non-voting shares kept separately in a trust.
Who Successed Rupert Murdoch?
Following the announcement of Rupert Murdoch’s stepping down in September 2023, there was a debate about who would succeed him. However, he revealed that his son, Lachlan Murdoch, one of his sons from his second marriage, Anna, would be his successor. With his father’s retirement, Lachlan will become chairman of News Corp. and continue as CEO of Fox Corp., which owns conservative news network Fox News, the Fox broadcast and sports networks, and local TV stations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How many children does Rupert Murdoch have?
Ans: Murdoch has six children.
Q. What is Rupert Murdoch’s net worth?
Ans: He has a net worth of $19.6 billion as of 2024.
Q. What is Rupert Murdoch known for?
Ans: He is a famous Australian-born American business magnate, media proprietor, and investor best known as the founder of the global media holding company News Corporation Ltd. —often called News Corp,
