Los Angeles, California – Media mogul Rupert Murdoch, known for his extensive media empire, has announced his engagement for a sixth time. The 92-year-old billionaire is set to marry Elena Zhukova, a retired molecular biologist, making this his fifth wedding. The news of his engagement comes just five months after Murdoch stepped down from his News Corp media empire.
According to reports, Murdoch and Zhukova met through a family gathering hosted by his ex-wife Wendi Deng, with whom he was married for 14 years before their divorce in 2013. Zhukova, originally from Russia, previously worked as a molecular diabetes specialist at the University of California, Los Angeles. She was married to a Russian-born British billionaire energy investor before her engagement to Murdoch.
The wedding is set to take place at Moraga, Murdoch’s California vineyard and estate, with invitations already sent out. This will be Murdoch’s fifth marriage, with his previous wives including Jerry Hall, Wendi Deng, Anna Murdoch Mann, and Patricia Booker. The media mogul, whose net worth is estimated at $8.96 billion, has six children.
Murdoch’s News Corp owns various digital news outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, and Sky News Australia, as well as book publisher HarperCollins. The upcoming wedding marks a new chapter for Murdoch after a year of setbacks for his empire in 2023, including a significant settlement between Fox News and Dominion over defamation allegations related to the 2020 US election.
Despite his retirement from his media empire, Murdoch continues to make headlines with his personal life. The engagement to Zhukova, a retired scientist, has captured the attention of many, highlighting Murdoch’s enduring presence in both the media industry and public eye. As preparations for the wedding unfold, all eyes will be on Murdoch and Zhukova as they embark on this new journey together.