On September 17, the Murdoch family inheritance battle officially commenced in the U.S., drawing global attention as the 93-year-old media mogul Rupert Murdoch appeared in court with his four children.
This lawsuit will determine the final ownership of Murdoch's media empire, valued at $25 billion.
That morning, Murdoch, dressed in a suit, appeared in good spirits.
He entered the court hand in hand with his fifth wife, Elena Zhukova, accompanied by a group of lawyers and assistants.
Despite his advanced age, Murdoch walked steadily and even climbed the stairs to the courtroom, indicating the importance he places on the lawsuit.
Murdoch's four children also arrived at the court. His 52-year-old eldest son, Lachlan, entered hand in hand with his wife, Kathryn, followed by his 50-year-old second son, James, who also appeared with his wife.
His 65-year-old eldest daughter, who resides in Australia, made a special trip to support her father, while his 55-year-old second daughter, Elisabeth, entered the court with her husband.
Murdoch has six children in total, born from his first three marriages.
Back in 1998, Murdoch had reached an agreement with four of his children to jointly manage his vast estate through a trust, granting each child equal voting rights.
However, over time, Murdoch grew dissatisfied with this arrangement, particularly after his retirement last year, as he felt that Lachlan had failed to fully take control of the family’s media empire.
Thus, in June of this year, he held a family meeting, attempting to convince the other three children to relinquish their voting rights and consolidate all power in Lachlan’s hands.
But the family meeting did not go as Murdoch had hoped. His three children strongly opposed the idea and rejected their father's proposal.
Left with no choice, Murdoch decided to take legal action, hoping to overturn the previous agreement through the court.
The key issue in this lawsuit is whether the court will allow him to amend the agreement, thereby making Lachlan the sole leader of the family business.
This decision will directly affect the future of the media empire Murdoch built, including the control of major publications like *The Times*, *The Sun*, *The New York Post*, and *The Wall Street Journal*.
According to *The Daily Mail*, the hearing will last five days, during which a large amount of evidence and numerous witnesses will surface, shedding light on the complex internal power struggles within the Murdoch family.
The public is also speculating about Murdoch’s motives, especially since he married his fifth wife, Elena Zhukova, in May of this year. Many are questioning whether she has a role in this inheritance battle.
Zhukova’s daughter is close to the daughters of Murdoch's ex-wife, Wendi Deng. Although Wendi Deng's two daughters do not have voting rights in the trust, they share equal rights to Murdoch's estate with his other children.
If Murdoch ultimately wins the case, Wendi Deng may also benefit from the outcome.
The media has also noted the stark contrast outside the court: across from the courthouse is a shop selling $6 breakfasts, next to a homeless man. This scene sharply contrasts with the luxury cars and wealthy individuals coming and going from the courthouse, highlighting two vastly different worlds.
As the hearing progresses, the divisions and power struggles within the Murdoch family will become increasingly public.
The outcome of this inheritance battle will not only determine the future of the Murdoch family but also have far-reaching effects on the global media industry.
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