Rupert Murdoch: Empire, Lawsuit, and Family Wealth
Few names in media spark as much curiosity and debate as Rupert Murdoch’s. At 94, his empire spans from Fox News to the Wall Street Journal, while his family navigates a succession battle and a high-profile lawsuit from Prince Harry over alleged phone hacking.
Net worth: $8.4 billion (Forbes 2026) ·
Age: 94 (born March 11, 1931) ·
Companies owned: News Corp and Fox Corp ·
Founded News Corp: 1979
Quick snapshot
- Owns News Corp and Fox Corp — BBC (UK public broadcaster)
- Net worth over $8.4 billion — Business Insider (financial news site)
- Exact extent of Murdoch’s editorial control after stepping down as chairman — NPR (independent public media)
- Outcome of Prince Harry’s ongoing legal claims — NBC News (major US network)
- Lachlan Murdoch expected to cement control over media companies — TIME (authoritative news magazine)
- Continued legal and regulatory scrutiny over tabloid practices — CBC (Canadian public broadcaster)
Seven key facts frame the Murdoch story, from his birth to his current net worth.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Keith Rupert Murdoch — Wikipedia (collaborative encyclopedia) |
| Born | March 11, 1931, Melbourne, Australia — Wikipedia |
| Citizenship | Australian-born, U.S. citizen — Wikipedia |
| Net worth | $8.4 billion (Forbes 2026) — Business Insider; Bloomberg (financial data provider) lists $19.3 billion (2025) |
| Companies | News Corp, Fox Corp — BBC |
| Children | 6 (Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan, James, Grace, Chloe) — Wikipedia |
| Spouses | 4 (Patricia Booker, Anna Torv, Wendi Deng, Jerry Hall) — Wikipedia |
What companies does Rupert Murdoch own?
News Corp holdings
- The Wall Street Journal (acquired 2007 via Dow Jones) — BBC
- The Times and The Sunday Times (UK) — Wikipedia
- The Sun (UK tabloid) — Wikipedia
- HarperCollins publishing — Wikipedia
- Foxtel (Australia) — Wikipedia
Fox Corp holdings
- Fox News Channel — BBC
- Fox Sports — Wikipedia
- Fox Broadcasting Company — Wikipedia
- Tubi (streaming service) — Wikipedia
Other investments
- Real estate holdings and art collection estimated in hundreds of millions — Business Insider
- Early investments in digital media (e.g., Myspace sale, 2005) — Wikipedia
The pattern: Murdoch built two publicly traded media giants that together reach billions of readers and viewers worldwide, but their value is now concentrated in news and conservative TV.
Why is Prince Harry suing Rupert Murdoch?
Allegations of phone hacking
- Prince Harry alleges that Murdoch’s UK tabloids — The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World — illegally intercepted voicemails and used private investigators to gather information. — NPR
- The 2011 phone hacking scandal forced the closure of News of the World and led to multiple criminal convictions. — Wikipedia
Legal timeline
- Lawsuit filed in 2024 by Prince Harry and other claimants against News Group Newspapers (NGN). — NBC News
- On January 22, 2025, NGN agreed to a settlement, paying substantial damages and issuing an apology. — CBC
- Prince Harry called the settlement a “monumental” victory — CBC
Prince Harry’s demands
- Public admission of wrongdoing and an apology from the newspaper group. — NBC News
- Damages for distress and legal costs; settlement terms were confidential but described as “substantial”. — Al Jazeera (Qatar-based global news network)
Prince Harry’s settlement shows that Murdoch’s UK tabloids are still paying for the hacking scandal more than a decade later. The apology and payout underscore the legal vulnerability of the newspaper arm even as the media empire pivots to TV and streaming.
The implication: the lawsuit is a significant financial and reputational hit, but it does not threaten the core American TV business.
Is the Murdoch family still rich?
Family net worth
- Forbes estimated the Murdoch family wealth at over $22.6 billion in 2020 — Business Insider
- Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index listed Rupert Murdoch and family at $19.3 billion in early 2025 — Bloomberg
- Business Insider says the fortune derives from a media empire dating back to the mid-20th century — Business Insider
Sources of wealth
- News Corp and Fox Corp stocks are the primary assets — BBC
- Dividends, asset sales, and real estate holdings add to the fortune — Business Insider
Succession and trusts
- A family trust established in 1999 controls the voting shares — Wikipedia (succession article)
- In September 2025, Rupert Murdoch settled a family battle by paying out three of his children to leave Lachlan as sole controller — NPR; BBC
- Lachlan Murdoch now holds decisive control over both News Corp and Fox Corp — TIME
What this means: the Murdoch family remains one of the wealthiest in media, but the fortune is increasingly concentrated in the hands of Lachlan, with his siblings receiving cash payouts and stepping back from the business.
Why is Rupert Murdoch so famous?
Building a global media empire
- Inherited Adelaide News from his father in 1952 and expanded across Australia — Ballotpedia (nonpartisan political encyclopedia)
- Expanded to the UK in 1969 with News of the World and The Sun — Wikipedia
- Entered the US market in the 1970s, launching Fox News in 1996 — BBC
- Acquired Dow Jones (Wall Street Journal) in 2007 — Wikipedia
Political influence
- Fox News is known for its conservative editorial slant and was a major platform for Donald Trump — BBC
- Murdoch’s UK tabloids, especially The Sun, have historically endorsed Conservative prime ministers — Wikipedia
- His media outlets have shaped political debates in the US, UK, and Australia for decades — Wikipedia
Controversies
- Phone hacking scandal (2011) severely damaged his reputation in the UK — Wikipedia
- Accusations of using his papers to push personal political agendas — Wikipedia
- Labor practices and journalistic ethics questioned by former employees — Wikipedia
The pattern: Murdoch’s fame rests on his ability to combine newspapers and television into a propaganda machine that amplifies conservative voices across three continents.
What is Rupert Murdoch accused of?
Phone hacking scandal
- Allegations that senior editors at News of the World approved voicemail interceptions of celebrities, politicians, and crime victims — Wikipedia
- Murdoch has denied personal knowledge but accepted corporate responsibility — Wikipedia
Political bias and influence
- Critics say Fox News disseminates misinformation and partisan content — BBC
- Former employees have alleged that Murdoch pressured editors to toe a conservative line — Wikipedia
Labor practices
- Claims of poor working conditions and low wages at News Corp facilities — Wikipedia
- Union disputes over forced redundancies and digital transformation — Wikipedia
Murdoch is both celebrated as a media pioneer and condemned as a threat to journalistic integrity. The same man who built the world’s most powerful news empire is also the target of the most expensive phone hacking scandal in history.
The trade-off: Murdoch’s business model — sensationalism plus political alignment — produced enormous wealth but also created persistent legal liabilities that now threaten his legacy.
Timeline
- 1931: Born in Melbourne, Australia — Wikipedia
- 1952: Inherits Adelaide News from father — Ballotpedia
- 1969: Acquires News of the World and The Sun in UK — Wikipedia
- 1979: Founds News Corporation — Wikipedia
- 1996: Launches Fox News — BBC
- 2007: Acquires Dow Jones, owner of Wall Street Journal — Wikipedia
- 2011: Phone hacking scandal shuts down News of the World — Wikipedia
- 2023: Steps down as chairman of Fox and News Corp — BBC
- 2024: Prince Harry files lawsuit against Murdoch’s UK tabloids — NPR
- January 2025: Prince Harry settles with News Group Newspapers — NPR
- September 2025: Succession deal leaves Lachlan Murdoch in control — BBC
What we know and what remains unclear
Confirmed facts
- Rupert Murdoch founded News Corp and Fox Corp — BBC
- He is 94 years old as of 2025 — Wikipedia
- Prince Harry settled a lawsuit against Murdoch’s UK tabloids in January 2025 — NPR
- Murdoch family net worth is over $8 billion — Business Insider
What remains unclear
- Exact extent of Murdoch’s editorial control after his 2023 retirement — NPR
- Outcome of further legal claims from other phone hacking victims — CBC
- Future succession arrangements beyond Lachlan Murdoch — TIME
- Specific political donations coordinated with family members — Wikipedia
- How the trust structure will evolve after Rupert’s death — Wikipedia
Key voices on the Murdoch legacy
“I am stepping down but remain active in the debate.”
— Rupert Murdoch, in a memo to staff upon retiring as chairman (2023) — BBC
“This is about accountability.”
— Prince Harry, after the settlement with News Group Newspapers (January 2025) — NPR
Related reading: Steve Ballmer Net Worth, Biography, and How He Built His Fortune · Gary Bettman: NHL Commissioner Salary, Achievements & Controversy
Frequently asked questions
What is Rupert Murdoch’s net worth?
Forbes estimated the Murdoch family wealth at over $22.6 billion in 2020 — Business Insider; Bloomberg listed it at $19.3 billion in early 2025 — Bloomberg.
How old is Rupert Murdoch?
He was born March 11, 1931, making him 94 years old as of 2025 — Wikipedia.
Who are Rupert Murdoch’s children?
He has six children: Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan, James, Grace, and Chloe — Wikipedia.
What is Rupert Murdoch’s religion?
He was raised a Christian and has described himself as a “believer in God.” He was educated at a Jesuit school — Wikipedia.
Does Rupert Murdoch still run News Corp?
He stepped down as chairman of both Fox Corp and News Corp in November 2023 but remains a director — BBC. Son Lachlan Murdoch now runs both companies.
What is the current lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch about?
Prince Harry sued Murdoch’s British newspaper group (News Group Newspapers) for illegal information gathering, including phone hacking. The lawsuit was settled in January 2025 with an apology and substantial damages — NPR.
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