Rupert Murdoch built a media empire that reaches newsstands in London, studios in Hollywood and cable boxes across America, but in 2026 that empire faces a family succession tug-of-war, a legal reckoning with Prince Harry, and the long shadow of the $66 billion Disney sale. According to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, the Murdoch family’s net worth is estimated at $22.7 billion.

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Net worth: $22.7 billion (Forbes via Scripps News, 2026) ·
Age: 95 years old (born March 11, 1931) ·
Companies: News Corp and Fox Corporation ·
Key UK assets: The Times, The Sun, The Sunday Times

“The Murdoch family’s net worth is estimated at $22.7 billion,” states Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index.

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Murdoch owns The Times, The Sun, and The Sunday Times in the UK (Wikipedia)
  • Disney closed its $71 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox assets in March 2019 (Wikipedia)
  • Murdoch stepped down as chairman of News Corp and Fox in September 2023 (Wikipedia)
2What’s unclear
  • Exact amount of Prince Harry’s settlement with News Group Newspapers is not publicly confirmed (Wikipedia)
  • Succession beyond Lachlan Murdoch is not finalized (Wikipedia)
  • Future ownership of Fox News after Murdoch’s death (Wikipedia)
3Timeline signal
  • In September 2023, Murdoch ended a near 70-year career as chairman of News Corp and Fox (Wikipedia)
  • In March 2019, the Disney deal cut Murdoch’s net worth by roughly $12 billion (Bloomberg)
4What’s next
  • Family trust restructuring in 2025 may alter control of News Corp and Fox (Wikipedia)
  • Prince Harry’s civil case against NGN could continue if appealed (Wikipedia)

Six key facts, one pattern: Murdoch’s wealth is concentrated in a family trust that controls voting shares of News Corp and Fox Corp, making succession the central financial drama.

Attribute Value
Full name Keith Rupert Murdoch
Birthdate March 11, 1931 (Wikipedia)
Citizenship Australia, United States (since 1985)
Net worth $22.7 billion (Bloomberg)
Spouses Four: Patricia Booker, Anna Torv, Wendi Deng, Jerry Hall
Children Six: Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan, James, Grace, Chloe

Is the Murdoch Family Still Rich?

Yes — and the numbers are staggering. Forbes’ 2026 list, reported by Scripps News, put the family at $22.7 billion, ranking them 112th globally. Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index (tier-1 financial data) listed the same figure on June 14, 2026.

How much is Rupert Murdoch worth in 2026?

  • Bloomberg: $22.7 billion — based on stakes in News Corp and Fox Corp, which reported $14 billion in revenue in fiscal 2024 (Bloomberg)
  • Forbes (via Scripps): $22.7 billion — same figure, placing Murdoch just behind the world’s top tech billionaires
  • Ballotpedia (August 2025): estimated $24.1 billion, noting that Murdoch remains executive chairman of News Corp

Bloomberg reports that Murdoch’s holdings are largely held through the Murdoch Family Trust, which he still controls. A blog estimate from ntvbusiness.com (low-confidence source) suggested a personal net worth of $17 billion to $19 billion for Rupert himself.

Who is the richest family member?

While the trust structure makes it difficult to assign individual wealth, the family’s 2025 partial share sale — valued at $3.3 billion for Prudence MacLeod, Elisabeth Murdoch, and James Murdoch — gives a clue. According to WYPR, Murdoch and Lachlan struck a deal to buy out those three siblings, each receiving $1.1 billion. Lachlan remains the preferred successor.

Bottom line: The Murdoch family’s wealth is real and concentrated in media assets. For investors, the trust structure provides stability. For observers, the buyout signals that Lachlan is solidifying control.

The pattern: family wealth remains substantial, but the 2025 buyout shifts power decisively toward Lachlan.

“Murdoch stepped down as chairman of News Corp and Fox in September 2023 after a near 70-year career,” according to Wikipedia.

Why Is Prince Harry Suing Rupert Murdoch?

The Duke of Sussex has been locked in a legal battle with News Group Newspapers (NGN), the British arm of Murdoch’s empire, over phone hacking and illegal information gathering. The case dates back to the News of the World scandal that erupted in 2011, but Harry’s lawsuit specifically targets the period after 2010, when The Sun allegedly continued the practice.

What is Prince Harry’s lawsuit against Murdoch’s British newspapers?

  • Harry sued NGN for unlawful interception of voicemails and other privacy breaches (Wikipedia)
  • He was one of several high-profile claimants, including actor Hugh Grant and politician Tom Watson
  • NGN settled claims with all of Harry’s co-claimants before trial, and Harry’s case was reportedly settled in 2025

How much money did Harry get from Murdoch?

The exact settlement amount has not been disclosed. Wikipedia notes that “a reported seven-figure payout” was part of the settlement, but neither side has confirmed the number. The case focused on whether NGN misled the court about its knowledge of hacking at The Sun.

The catch

Prince Harry’s decision to settle — rather than testify — means the full extent of NGN’s alleged misconduct may never be aired in open court. For Murdoch, the payout is a cost of doing business; for Harry, it’s a partial victory that keeps the spotlight on press ethics.

The implication: the settlement ends immediate legal exposure but leaves unanswered questions about NGN’s past practices.

What Does Rupert Murdoch Own in the UK?

Murdoch’s UK portfolio is the anchor of his newspaper empire, though he has sold off television assets in recent years.

Which UK newspapers are owned by Murdoch?

  • The Times and The Sunday Times — acquired in 1981 (Wikipedia)
  • The Sun (daily) and The Sun on Sunday — tabloids that drive mass-market readership
  • News Corp also owns the talkSPORT radio network (Wikipedia)

Notably, he sold Sky to Comcast in 2018 for $39 billion, exiting UK pay-TV. He does not own Disney UK — that stake was part of the 21st Century Fox assets sold in 2019.

Does Murdoch own Sky or Disney UK?

No. After the 2019 Disney deal, Murdoch retained only Fox News, Fox Sports, and the Fox broadcast network. All other entertainment assets — including the 20th Century Fox studio, FX, and National Geographic — are now part of Disney.

The implication: Murdoch’s UK footprint is now purely print and radio. The era of cross-media dominance in Britain is over.

Why this matters

For British voters and policymakers, Murdoch’s remaining newspapers still swing elections. The Sun has endorsed every winning UK prime minister since 1970. Lost TV assets mean his influence is narrower, but still potent.

What this means: Murdoch’s UK influence now depends on a shrinking print audience, making the succession question even more critical.

Timeline: Key Dates in Murdoch’s Career

Born in Melbourne, Australia (Wikipedia)

Inherits The Adelaide News from his father (Wikipedia)

Buys The Sun and News of the World in the UK (Wikipedia)

Acquires The Times and The Sunday Times (Wikipedia)

Launches Fox News Channel (Wikipedia)

News of the World phone-hacking scandal escalates, leading to closure of the paper (Wikipedia)

Disney completes $71 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox assets; Murdoch receives $12 billion in proceeds distributed to his children (Bloomberg)

Steps down as chairman of News Corp and Fox after nearly 70 years (Wikipedia)

News Corp announces trust restructuring; Prince Harry settles with NGN; Lachlan and Rupert buy out three siblings for $3.3 billion combined (WYPR)

The timeline shows how Murdoch’s empire grew and contracted, with 2025 marking a clear turning point for family control.

Clarity Check: What We Know vs. What’s Still Murky

Confirmed facts

  • Murdoch owns The Times, The Sun, and The Sunday Times (Wikipedia)
  • Prince Harry settled with NGN in 2025 (Wikipedia)
  • Disney deal closed in March 2019 (Wikipedia)
  • Murdoch family net worth is in the billions — $22.7B per Bloomberg and Forbes (Bloomberg / Scripps)

What’s still unclear

  • Exact amount of Prince Harry’s settlement (not publicly confirmed)
  • Who will control Fox News after Murdoch’s death (succession plan uncertain)
  • Whether NGN will face further legal action from other victims
  • Future of the Murdoch Family Trust after the 2025 restructuring

The catch: even with many facts confirmed, the biggest unknowns — who finally holds power and how much was paid — remain out of view.

Additional sources

ballotpedia.org, facebook.com, wypr.org

His $22.7 billion media empire, detailed in our full report on Rupert Murdochs net worth and empire, continues to face scrutiny from legal battles and succession planning.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Rupert Murdoch’s religious affiliation?

Murdoch was raised Christian but has not publicly discussed his personal beliefs in recent decades. He has described himself as a “Christian sympathizer” in past interviews.

What are Rupert Murdoch’s political views?

Murdoch is widely seen as a conservative force in media. His outlets — Fox News in the US and The Sun in the UK — have consistently backed right-leaning parties and candidates. However, he has supported both Labour and Conservative governments in Britain when it suited his business interests.

Who will succeed Rupert Murdoch?

Lachlan Murdoch is the designated successor. He chairs Fox Corp and is co-chairman of News Corp. The 2025 buyout of siblings Prudence, Elisabeth, and James consolidated his position.

How old was Murdoch when he started his media career?

Murdoch inherited The Adelaide News from his father in 1952 at age 21 and began expanding from there.

Why did Murdoch sell to Disney?

Murdoch sold 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets to Disney in 2019 for $71 billion, retaining only news and sports properties. He said the deal allowed Fox to focus on live news and sports while unlocking shareholder value. The proceeds were distributed to his six children.

Does Piers Morgan still work for Rupert Murdoch?

No. Piers Morgan left the UK’s The Sun in 2004 and later worked for the Daily Mail and CNN. In 2025, Morgan claimed he had turned down an offer to host a show on Murdoch’s TalkTV. The relationship remains cordial.

What three words did Prince Harry say about Kate Middleton?

This refers to a 2023 excerpt from Harry’s memoir Spare, where he described a conversation about the Princess of Wales. The exact quote is not part of the Murdoch litigation.

For British newspaper readers and media investors, the Murdoch succession story is no longer a hypothetical. The 2025 buyout and trust restructuring show that Lachlan is moving to lock in control. His father’s legacy — a $22.7 billion empire built on political influence and tabloid instincts — will now be tested by a generation that grew up with digital news. The choice for the Murdoch family is clear: adapt the model, or risk watching their print fortress erode.