Murdoch Family Succession Battle: Nevada Court Documents Reveal Internal Feud

A 96-page Nevada probate ruling released in August 2026 details how Rupert Murdoch, 95, sought to modify the Murdoch Family Trust so that his eldest son, Lachlan, would assume sole control of News Corp and Fox Corp. Commissioner Edmund Gorman found that the plan—dubbed “Project Family Harmony”—referenced the HBO series *Succession* and alleged that James Murdoch was conspiring with his sisters, Prudence and Elisabeth, to oust Lachlan after Rupert’s death. The court rejected the amendment, leading to a 2025 settlement that granted Lachlan control in exchange for cash payouts to the other siblings.

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The dispute stems from a three-decade succession fight over the media empire that includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, The Times (UK) and Australian titles such as The Australian. Rupert’s advanced age prompted attempts to secure a “designated leader” for the family-controlled assets. Earlier efforts included a 2015 proposal to replace James as chief executive of 21st Century Fox and a 2019 buy-out offer that fell short of the siblings’ expectations.

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• Rupert Murdoch – Founder and patriarch who initiated the trust amendment.

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• Lachlan Murdoch – Eldest son, secured control after the 2025 settlement.

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• James Murdoch – Younger son, resigned from the News board in July 2020.

The Guardian

• Prudence Murdoch – Eldest daughter, involved in the dispute.

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• Elisabeth Murdoch – Daughter, whose representative’s memo was cited.

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• Siobhan McKenna – Former managing director for Lachlan, identified as the driving force behind Project Family Harmony.

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• Edmund Gorman – Nevada probate commissioner who authored the ruling.

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• 2015 – Rupert considered replacing James with Lachlan as chief executive of 21st Century Fox.

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• 2019 – Lachlan offered to buy out his siblings’ stakes; the offer was rejected.

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• July 2020 – James quit the News board.

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• January 2022 – Siobhan McKenna appointed managing director for Lachlan.

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• Mid-2023 – Project Family Harmony originated, with McKenna orchestrating the trust-amendment plan.

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• Late 2024 – Nevada probate commissioner issued the decision rejecting the amendment.

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• 2025 – Settlement: Lachlan gained control; Elisabeth, James and Prudence each received an estimated US$1.1 billion (total ~US$5 billion).

The Guardian

• August 24 2026 – Unsealed court documents made public, revealing the internal feud.

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• Cash payouts: Approximately US$1.1 billion per sibling; total settlement around US$5 billion.

The Sydney Morning Herald

• Trust voting structure: Prior to amendment, each of the four eldest siblings held one vote; the proposed change would have consolidated voting power with Lachlan.

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Rupert testified that Fox and News Corp were “great assets for the family” and “essential for democracies,” emphasizing the need to keep the outlets out of “the wrong hands.”

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• “They were great assets for the family and I thought they were important in the English-speaking world, certainly in the United States,” — Rupert Murdoch

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• “The effort was an attempt to stack the deck in Lachlan Murdoch’s favour after Rupert Murdoch’s passing so that his succession would be immutable,” — Edmund Gorman, evidence behind commissioner

The Sydney Morning Herald