Rupert Murdoch Marries for the Fifth Time
Rupert Murdoch, 93, the media mogul who retired from Fox and News Corporation boards last year, married for the fifth time on Saturday at his Moraga vineyard estate in Bel Air, Los Angeles. His new bride, Elena Zhukova, brings a fascinating background to the union.
Who Is Elena Zhukova?
Elena Zhukova is a retired molecular biologist specializing in diabetes research, with significant contributions at the University of California, Los Angeles. Originally from Moscow, the 67-year-old moved to the United States in 1991, during the final years of the Soviet Union.
A chance meeting
Zhukova met Rupert Murdoch during a family gathering organized by his third former wife, Wendi Deng, to whom Murdoch was married for 14 years until their divorce in 2013.
Previous marriages
Elena Zhukova was previously married twice, including to Russian oil billionaire Alexander Zhukov, with whom she has a daughter, Dasha Zhukova, 42. Zhukova describes her family background as part of the “usual, normal Moscow intelligentsia,” highlighting her cultural and intellectual roots.
Murdoch’s marital history
Murdoch divorced his fourth wife, supermodel Jerry Hall, in 2022. His previous wives include Wendi Deng, Anna Murdoch Mann, and Patricia Booker, and he has a total of six children. Having retired from his chief role at News Corp last year, Murdoch handed over the reins to his son, Lachlan.
Despite Murdoch’s health concerns, the future of News Corp appears stable, governed by a family trust where Murdoch and his four eldest children hold shares.