The Murdoch family announced an inheritance settlement on 9/9, ending protracted legal disputes among media mogul Rupert Murdoch's 6 children and securing the conservative direction of the global media empire he built over decades.

Murdoch has 6 children from 3 marriages: Prudence (born in 1958), Elisabeth (1968), Lachlan (1971), James (1972), Grace Helen (2001), and Chloe (2003).

Lachlan, the eldest son, will maintain full control of both Fox and News Corp.

James, Elisabeth, and Prudence agreed to sell all their shares in the two corporations within 6 months. In return, each will receive approximately USD 1.1 billion. The corporations stated that all shares were sold at a discount of about 4.5% compared to the most recent closing price, generating a total of approximately USD 1.37 billion.

Billionaire Rupert Murdoch attends an event in California on 5/4. _Photo: Reuters_

The family established a new trust, with Lachlan and his two younger half-sisters, Chloe and Grace, as beneficiaries. Sources familiar with the matter revealed to Reuters that this trust is worth approximately USD 3.3 billion and holds 36% of Fox shares and 33% of News Corp shares.

The inheritance conflict within the Murdoch family began when the American billionaire sought to amend the terms of the family trust. The trust was established after his divorce from his second wife, Anna, in 1999, allowing him to retain a significant number of shares in the two media companies.

The original terms of the trust stipulated that shares in both corporations would be divided among the 4 eldest children—Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan, and James—upon Murdoch's death. However, he later felt that only Lachlan was capable of leading the companies and feared the other three might unite to oust the current chairman of Fox and News Corp.

This concern led Murdoch to propose adjustments to the trust, including provisions preventing Lachlan's siblings from interfering in the business, according to court documents leaked to the media.

The years-long dispute became public when a court in Reno, Nevada, rejected the proposed trust amendment in 12/2024. This ruling paved the way for Prudence, Elisabeth, and James to appeal, renegotiate their inheritance rights, reach a financial settlement, and end all legal disputes.

Lachlan Murdoch (left) and James Murdoch (right) attend their father Rupert Murdoch's wedding in 2016 in London. _Photo: Reuters_

The power struggle within the Murdoch family served as inspiration for the popular television series *Succession*. In reality, the division stemmed not only from economic interests but also from deep political differences between Lachlan and his siblings.

James has repeatedly criticized Fox News for its conservative political stance, its reporting on climate change, and the 2020 US election. In a rare interview with *The Atlantic*, James even called his father "misogynistic" and claimed Fox News "threatens American democracy".

Lachlan, the most politically conservative of Rupert's children, has run both corporations since his father stepped down as chairman in 2023.

The new agreement solidifies Lachlan's position within the Murdoch media empire, eliminating the possibility of his siblings uniting to oust him. Media analyst Claire Enders considers this a positive move for shareholders, ensuring that Fox News remains a bastion of conservative media in the US.

Thanh Danh _(Adapted from The Guardian, Reuters, and BBC)_