A legal battle over the future of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire and a £14.9bn ($19.6bn) family trust begins on Monday in the US, pitting the 93-year-old mogul against three of his eldest children in a fight for control of News Corp and Fox News.
The case will decide who holds the most voting shares and influence after Mr. Murdoch’s passing. Reports indicate Mr. Murdoch sought to amend the family trust, established in 1999, to give his son Lachlan control, sidelining his other children, Prudence, Elisabeth, and James.
The Murdoch family, often linked to the TV show *Succession*, has declined to address the comparisons. Mr. Murdoch’s two youngest daughters, Grace and Chloe, are excluded from voting rights under the trust.
Since the 1960s, Murdoch has built a global media empire, with holdings including *The Times*, *The Sun*, *The Wall Street Journal*, and Fox News. A 1999 trust agreement gave his four eldest children a vote each, while he retained four votes. Upon his death, his votes are set to be equally divided among them, but political differences have caused tensions.
Lachlan, aligned with his father’s conservative views, is chairman of both News Corp and Fox News, reportedly prompting resistance from his siblings. The private court case, taking place in Reno, Nevada, will likely include testimony from Mr. Murdoch and his children, though media outlets are barred from attending.
Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan, and James, all children from Mr. Murdoch’s first two marriages, are central to the case. His younger daughters, Grace and Chloe, from his third marriage, do not have voting rights. Settlements often resolve such family disputes, though the case may drag on if appeals are pursued.
