Murdoch family court papers reveal internal feud before succession settlement

Nevada probate records made public show the intense rivalry among Rupert Murdoch’s children before the deal that handed control of the empire to Lachlan. The 95-year-old testified that preserving Fox and News Corp as conservative voices was vital, and he warned that losing those assets would be disastrous. He portrayed James as a source of trouble who was stirring succession rumors, and argued that James, Prudence and Elisabeth intended to oust Lachlan and shift the companies’ direction.

Evidence cited included a memo from Elisabeth’s representative after a “Succession” episode, which the commissioner interpreted as a call for mediation. The filing notes that each of the four older siblings had resigned from family firms at least once, and that Lachlan and James remained at odds despite a brief period of amicable contact after Elisabeth’s 2017 wedding. The 2025 settlement ultimately gave Lachlan control, with the other siblings receiving roughly $1.1 billion each.