Murdoch Family Succession Battle Ends With Lachlan Securing Control of Media Empire
The long-running power struggle over Rupert Murdoch’s vast media empire has come to an end, with his eldest son, Lachlan Murdoch, set to take full control of the family’s conservative-leaning news outlets, including Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Post.
The deal, announced on Monday, resolves years of internal disputes and legal battles within the Murdoch family. It ensures that Lachlan, 53, will lead the organization following the eventual death of his father, Rupert Murdoch, who is now 94. Lachlan will assume control through a newly created trust, while his siblings – Prudence MacLeod, Elisabeth Murdoch, and James Murdoch – will no longer hold voting power in the family’s media companies.
In exchange, the three siblings will sell their stakes in Fox Corporation and News Corp, receiving around $1.1 billion (£810 million) each, according to The New York Times. Their exit will allow Lachlan to run the empire without fear of being outvoted by his more politically moderate siblings, who have often clashed with the family’s conservative editorial direction.
Media commentator Andrew Neil, former editor of The Sunday Times, described the settlement as a major victory for Rupert Murdoch, albeit an expensive one.
“Lachlan Murdoch is now king of the hill,” Neil told the BBC. “Rupert feared that after his death, Lachlan would be outvoted by his three older siblings, who lean liberal. This deal eliminates that risk.”
The agreement brings to a close a private legal dispute that unfolded largely behind closed doors in Nevada, a state known for its privacy laws regarding family trusts. Last year, a Reno court rejected an attempt by Rupert and Lachlan to unilaterally change the terms of the trust, ruling that they had acted in “bad faith.”
The Murdoch family saga inspired the hit HBO drama Succession. Like the fictional Roy family, the Murdochs have faced internal divisions over the future of a global media empire. James Murdoch, in particular, has publicly voiced disagreements with Fox News, especially over its coverage of climate change and its handling of false claims about the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Lachlan, who currently serves as chair of News Corp, is considered the most politically conservative of Rupert’s children and has been leading day-to-day operations since Rupert stepped back in September 2023. Rupert remains chairman emeritus of both Fox Corporation and News Corp.
Despite the legal resolution, observers say deep personal rifts remain.
“Rupert Murdoch always insisted this was a family business,” said Matthew Ricketson, a communications professor at Deakin University. “But in fighting to secure Lachlan’s control, he has effectively torn the family apart.”
The new trust will also include Rupert’s two youngest daughters, Chloe and Grace, from his marriage to Wendi Deng Murdoch, though they will not have voting power over the companies.
While the agreement ends years of uncertainty, it also cements the future direction of Rupert Murdoch’s empire, ensuring its conservative editorial stance will remain firmly intact under Lachlan’s leadership.
