Murdoch family courtroom drama begins in US over trust, media empire control

A court battle over the future of Rupert Murdoch's media empire and a £14.9bn ($19.6bn) family trust begins in the US on Monday, setting the 93-year-old billionaire against three of his eldest children in a fight for control of News Corp and Fox News.

The case will determine who gains the most voting shares and power once Mr Murdoch passes away. Reports suggest that Mr Murdoch wanted to amend the family trust, created in 1999, to give his son Lachlan control without interference from his siblings Prudence, Elisabeth, and James.

The Murdoch family is said to have inspired the hit TV series *Succession*, though they have consistently declined to comment on the parallels.

Mr Murdoch, who has been married five times, also has two younger daughters, Grace and Chloe, but they do not have voting rights under the trust agreement.

Since the 1960s, Mr Murdoch has built his media empire into a global powerhouse, wielding major political and public influence. His companies include News Corporation, which owns newspapers such as *The Times* and *The Sun* in the UK and *The Wall Street Journal* in the US, as well as Fox, which broadcasts Fox News.

In a 2020 BBC documentary, *The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty*, journalist Andrew Neil explained that Mr Murdoch had been grooming his sons to succeed him since they were teenagers. "Family has always been very important to Rupert Murdoch, particularly from the point of view of forming a dynasty," Neil said.

The 1999 Murdoch Family Trust was intended to resolve the succession plans, granting the family eight votes on the boards of News Corp and Fox News. Mr Murdoch currently controls four of these votes, with his four eldest children each holding one. The agreement stipulates that upon his death, his votes will be equally divided among them.

However, political differences have reportedly caused divisions within the family. Lachlan, who shares his father's right-wing views, was appointed chairman of both companies, which led to a reported backlash from his siblings, who are said to be "fighting back".

The private court case is taking place at Washoe County Courthouse in Reno, Nevada. Media outlets have been barred from attending, but the proceedings are expected to include testimony from Mr Murdoch and his four eldest children, according to the *New York Times*, which obtained sealed court documents.

These types of family disputes often end in settlements, though the case could drag on if one side chooses to appeal a court ruling.

Prudence, Mr Murdoch's eldest child from his first marriage to Patricia Booker, is involved in the case, alongside Elisabeth, Lachlan, and James, from his second marriage to Anna Mann, which lasted from 1967 to 1999. His two youngest children, Grace and Chloe, from his marriage to Wendi Deng (1999–2013), do not hold voting rights.

Mr Murdoch's fourth marriage to model Jerry Hall ended in divorce in 2022.