Rupert Murdoch Gets Engaged At 92, Who Is His Girlfriend Elena Zhukova?

Media mogul Robert Murdoch, 92, has become engaged to his girlfriend, retired Russian molecular biologist Elena Zhukova, 67. The pair were dating for several months. A report by the BBC which cited Murdoch’s team confirmed the news of the engagement.

The report said that the marriage will take place at Murdoch’s Moraga vineyard and estate in California this year. This is his fifth, but sixth engagement.

Murdoch stepped down as chairman of Fox and News Corp last year. A report by the New York Times said the nuptials are set for June and invitations have already been sent out. The US-based newspaper first broke the story. It also said Murdoch’s marriage to Zhukova is unlikely to impact the future of his businesses, which are held in a trust managed by his four eldest children.

The pair began dating soon after Murdoch’s engagement to ex-police chaplain Ann Lesley Smith was abruptly called off in April 2023. They met at a party hosted by one of Murdoch’s ex-wife Chinese-born entrepreneur Wendi Deng.

Murdoch has been married to Australian flight attendant Patricia Booker, Scottish-born journalist Anna Mann, Wendi Deng and US model and actress Jerri Hall.

Zhukova was previously married to Russian oil billionaire Alexander Zhukov. Their daughter Dasha – a socialite and businesswoman – was married to the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich until 2017, according to the BBC.

The media mogul started his career in Australia in the 1950s and bought the News of the World and The Sun newspapers in the UK in 1969. He also purchased a number of US publications including the New York Post and Wall Street Journal. He launched Fox News in 1996 which is now the most watched TV news channel in the US.

He founded News Corp in 2013 and through this he remains the owner of hundreds of local, national and international media outlets.

Murdoch’s career has been controversial. In 2011, his British newspaper, News of the World, was embroiled in a phone hacking scandal, leading to its closure. Murdoch has also been criticised for his influence over political affairs, with accusations of biassed reporting and unethical practices.

Since September, he has handed the reins to his son Lachlan and later taken on the role of Chairman Emeritus of both Fox and News Corp.