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The years-long family feud over the future of Rupert Murdoch’s vast media empire has finally reached a resolution, with his son Lachlan Murdoch emerging as the clear winner. Under a deal announced on Monday, Lachlan will assume full control of a new trust overseeing Fox Corporation and News Corp, ensuring the companies’ conservative editorial stance will continue after Rupert’s eventual passing. His three older siblings – Prudence MacLeod, Elisabeth Murdoch, and James Murdoch – will no longer hold any influence over the businesses, instead receiving around $1.1 billion each following the sale of their combined shares in Fox and News Corp.
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The agreement ends years of litigation and intense internal disputes that echoed the themes of HBO’s drama Succession. Rupert, now 94, had long worried that Lachlan could be outvoted by his more politically moderate siblings. Analysts say this outcome, though costly, secures his vision for the empire’s future. Andrew Neil, former Sunday Times editor, described Lachlan as “a chip off the old block,” and said Rupert’s fear of losing control has been avoided. Lachlan, already chairman of News Corp, now has unrivaled authority within the empire, while his siblings step back permanently from any editorial or strategic influence.
The Murdoch succession saga has not only shaped the future of one of the world’s most powerful media empires but also fractured family ties. Rupert has always described his companies as a “family business,” yet the bitter legal battle in Nevada highlighted how divided his oldest four children were over its direction. James Murdoch, in particular, has distanced himself in recent years, criticizing Fox News for its climate change coverage and for amplifying Donald Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election. Elisabeth and Prudence were similarly uneasy with the editorial line, while Lachlan has been widely seen as the most conservative of the siblings, aligning more closely with Rupert.
The new arrangement sees Prudence, Elisabeth, and James exit the business side but still benefit financially through a separate trust, while Rupert’s younger daughters Grace and Chloe, from his marriage to Wendi Deng, remain beneficiaries of the new family trust alongside Lachlan. Analysts say the deal consolidates Lachlan’s grip but leaves lingering bitterness within the family. Matthew Ricketson, a professor of communication, noted that Rupert “tore apart his family” in order to protect the company’s conservative identity. Though the legal battle is over, the personal wounds may never fully heal.
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