Rupert Murdoch, the 93-year-old media mogul, has married retired marine biologist Elena Zhukova, 67, in California, as confirmed by a spokesperson on Sunday. The wedding took place on Saturday at a Murdoch-owned vineyard.
This marks Murdoch’s fifth marriage, and the couple began dating last year.
Murdoch stepped down as chairman of News Corp and Fox in 2023, concluding a seven-decade career overseeing a vast media empire that included satellites, Hollywood studios, books, newspapers, and TV stations across three continents.
The couple’s introduction came through Murdoch’s third wife, Wendi Deng, according to a report by the Daily Mail.
Murdoch’s fourth marriage to actress and model Jerry Hall ended in 2022 after six years. Prior to Murdoch, Hall was famously in a long-term relationship with Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger.
Last year, Murdoch was briefly engaged to former San Francisco police chaplain Ann Lesley Smith, but they called off the engagement shortly after. Vanity Fair cited a source claiming Murdoch grew uneasy with Smith’s outspoken evangelical views.
The Financial Times reported that Murdoch’s marriage to Zhukova will not affect the trust that holds 40% of the voting shares in News Corp and Fox.
