Rivalries and Rumours as the Murdoch Dynasty Enters a New Era

This year (Murdoch), Elisabeth could easily host her father at the grand Cotswolds home she has painstakingly restored. Yet after a bruising legal battle in Nevada, followed by a settlement that permanently excluded Elisabeth and two of her siblings from the family empire, relations remain strained. Even for a family accustomed to conflict, the wounds may be too fresh for festive reconciliation.

Elisabeth, Rupert’s eldest child from his marriage to Anna Murdoch, is co-founder and executive chair of the production company Sister, behind acclaimed series including Black Doves, The Split and This Is Going To Hurt. Those who know her describe her as generous, intelligent and intensely private. Friends are fiercely protective, and few have anything negative to say. Even so, many acknowledge that the past year has been extraordinarily difficult, despite the fact that Elisabeth, her younger brother James Murdoch, and their half-sister Prudence Murdoch each emerged around a billion dollars wealthier.

For them, money has not softened the blow of a father in his mid-90s choosing to fracture his family in the belief that it served the interests of his business. The Murdochs have never resembled a conventional family, a reality that inspired comparisons with the television drama Succession. This time, though, the split feels final. As one observer put it, the show may have ended too early, the real drama was still unfolding.

A rupture that may never heal

James Murdoch’s relationship with his father and older brother Lachlan Murdoch now appears beyond repair. Earlier this year, James described Rupert as a misogynist in an interview with The Atlantic and called aspects of his father’s conduct during the trust dispute twisted. He is said to feel deeply betrayed by Rupert’s decision to force him, Elisabeth and Prudence to sever formal ties with Fox Corp and News Corp.

Driven by fears that his more liberal children might redirect the companies after his death, Rupert attempted to alter the terms of a trust created in 1999, following his divorce from Anna. That trust gave his four eldest children equal control. Lachlan, already chosen to run the business, has now been confirmed as the sole heir to the corporate reins.

Rupert and Lachlan initially lost the first round in court, with a judge ruling that changing the trust would be done in bad faith. However, negotiations behind closed doors produced a settlement. James, Elisabeth and Prudence agreed to sell their shares and accepted terms that prevent them from ever buying back into the family companies.

Claire Atkinson, whose biography of Rupert Murdoch is due next year, called it a sad conclusion. Speaking on The Media Show, she said the message was effectively: you grew up in this business, you worked in it, and now do not let the door hit you on the way out. She believes the split is permanent and doubts that James and Rupert will ever reconcile.

Lachlan, for his part, has described the outcome as good news for investors and said it provides strategic clarity. Ironically, his success has made the settlement more expensive. Since becoming chief executive of Fox Corp in 2019, and later chairman of both Fox and News Corp, the company’s share price has doubled. Strong ratings during the Trump presidency further boosted its value, increasing the payout required to buy out his siblings.

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Despite the financial resolution, Atkinson says there is now a fracture not only in the family, but also within the company.

Life after the court battle

Elisabeth and Prudence are said to be focusing on moving forward. Rupert turned 94 in March while the legal fight was still ongoing. The sisters are aware that time is limited and are said to hope that some form of reconciliation may one day be possible, despite the pain they feel. Christmas, however, may be too soon.

Lachlan recently hosted his annual gathering for Australia’s elite at his Sydney harbour home. Although Fox Corp operates from the United States, he is said to favour the Australian lifestyle, even if it comes with overnight business calls and constant travel. Atkinson notes that Lachlan is well liked internally, though he continues to operate under his father’s long shadow, with many assuming Rupert’s hand behind every major decision.

Rodney Benson, professor of media, culture and communication at New York University, argues that Rupert’s influence remains strong and that Lachlan’s distinct approach will only fully emerge with time.

Business first, politics second

Fox News remains the financial engine of the Murdoch empire, which helps explain Rupert’s anxiety that his children might alter its political stance. Under Lachlan, the group has expanded aggressively into digital and streaming, most notably through the ad-supported platform Tubi.

In September, Donald Trump suggested that Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch might join a group seeking to buy TikTok’s US operations. When ByteDance later announced a partial sale to mostly US-based investors, neither Murdoch was named.

Presenting Fox Corporation’s latest quarterly results, Lachlan highlighted rapid growth at Tubi, noting that it had reached profitability. He also pointed to Fox News maintaining its position as the most-watched cable network in prime time, delivering the highest advertising revenue for a July to September quarter in the company’s history.

Investigative journalist Paddy Manning, author of The Successor: The High-Stakes Life of Lachlan Murdoch, says Rupert’s seven-decade career blended editorial intervention with political powerbroking. Lachlan, by contrast, is more commercially focused. His major deals, from digital assets to sports betting and streaming, have been about profit rather than political influence.

Benson cautions that the debt taken on to fund the sibling settlement may intensify pressure to maximise returns, potentially encouraging more sensational and polarising content.

A family divided

Rupert Murdoch remains deeply involved. At 94, he is described by colleagues as mentally sharp and relentlessly curious. During a recent extended stay in London, he visited the News UK offices almost daily, discussing digital strategy, video experiments and even whether Nigel Farage might one day enter government.

Three months after the settlement, Manning says the family remains deeply divided. While Lachlan works closely with his father, he is said to be estranged from his elder siblings. Rupert and all his children were approached for comment.

Decades ago, Anna Murdoch appeared to foresee much of this turmoil. In her novel Family Business, published in the 1980s, she explored sibling rivalry and the damage caused when a powerful parent turns children into competitors. Years later, she said she hoped none of her children would take over from Rupert, warning of heartbreak and hardship.

The family trust she negotiated during her divorce was intended to protect her children by ensuring equality after Rupert’s death. Instead, it became the catalyst for a legal battle and a settlement that may have permanently shattered family ties.