A long-running family power struggle over Rupert Murdoch’s conservative media empire has officially come to an end, with his son Lachlan Murdoch emerging as the sole heir to the business.
The Murdoch family announced on Monday that a deal had been reached, finalizing control of key conservative outlets—including Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Post—under Lachlan’s leadership. The agreement secures the ideological direction of the media conglomerate even after Rupert Murdoch’s death.
Under the terms of the deal, Lachlan will take full control of a new trust overseeing the family’s voting shares in both Fox Corp and News Corp. His siblings Prue MacLeod, Elizabeth Murdoch, and James Murdochwill exit the trust and relinquish any influence over the companies’ editorial or strategic direction.
Years of Family Tension Resolved
The agreement marks the end of years of behind-the-scenes legal battles and personal rifts between Rupert Murdoch and his older children over the future of the family business. The dispute, which served as loose inspiration for HBO’s hit drama Succession, had escalated into litigation over the structure of the Murdoch family trust.
As part of Monday’s deal, the three siblings will sell their combined holdings—roughly 14.2 million shares of News Corp and 16.9 million shares of Fox Corp. Proceeds from the sale will go into a new trust, where they will be named as beneficiaries. While they retain their inheritance, they will no longer have any say in the companies’ governance or political stance.
James Murdoch, in particular, has distanced himself from the family empire in recent years, citing deep disagreements with its editorial positions, particularly at Fox News.
Lachlan Consolidates Power
Lachlan Murdoch, currently chair of News Corp, is known for aligning most closely with his father’s conservative views. His leadership ensures a continued right-leaning editorial direction for the Murdoch-owned outlets.
“Lachlan’s leadership, vision, and management will remain key to shaping the company’s future,” News Corp said in a statement confirming the agreement.
Of Rupert Murdoch’s six children, only the four eldest were directly involved in the legal battle. His younger daughters, Chloe and Grace—from his marriage to Wendi Deng Murdoch—will also be named as beneficiaries in the new trust, though they are not expected to play any active role in the business.
Legal Dispute Settled in Privacy
The final phase of the battle played out largely out of public view in Nevada, where the state’s strong privacy laws made it an attractive setting for the trust litigation. Rupert Murdoch had previously attempted to amend the family trust to consolidate control under Lachlan, but a Nevada court in December ruled that both Rupert and Lachlan had acted in “bad faith.”
Monday’s agreement was described as a “mutual resolution of the legal proceedings,” bringing an end to the internal feud that had loomed over the Murdoch empire for years.
With succession now settled, Lachlan is firmly in control—steering the future of one of the most influential media dynasties in the world.
