Media titan 93-year old Rupert Murdoch marries Elena Zhukova in Los Angeles

Rupert Murdoch, 93, tied the knot for the fifth time on Saturday, marrying Elena Zhukova, 67, at his vineyard estate in Bel Air, Los Angeles. The ceremony was held outdoors under clear skies, with Zhukova wearing a white off-the-shoulder dress designed by Emilia Wickstead, and Murdoch in a dark suit paired with sneakers. The event saw notable guests such as Robert K Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, and Robert Thomson, CEO of News Corp.

The Couple's Background
Murdoch and Zhukova's relationship began through Murdoch's third wife, Wendi Deng. Zhukova, a retired molecular biologist who moved to the US from Moscow in 1991, was previously married to billionaire energy investor Alexander Zhukov. The couple’s engagement was announced in March, following weeks of vacationing on the Mediterranean aboard the yacht Christina O.


Past Relationships
This marriage follows Murdoch's brief engagement to Ann Lesley Smith, which was called off last spring. Murdoch’s previous marriage to model and actor Jerry Hall ended in divorce in 2022. Zhukova was married to Alexander Zhukov, with whom she has a daughter, Dasha Zhukova, an entrepreneur and socialite.

Murdoch's Media Legacy
Murdoch stepped down from leading Fox News’ parent company and News Corp last fall, passing the reins to his son, Lachlan. In 1952, Murdoch inherited a newspaper in his native Australia from his father.

Over decades, he built a news and entertainment enterprise that became prominent in the United States and Britain, including ownership of such notable newspapers as The Times of London and The Wall Street Journal.

Fox News Channel, the 24-hour network founded in 1996, has profoundly influenced television, becoming a popular news source among many conservative U.S. audiences and politicians.