Rupert Murdoch, the 93-year-old media mogul, tied the knot with retired molecular biologist Elena Zhukova at his vineyard estate in Moraga, California. The couple exchanged vows on Saturday at the outdoor altar under a clear blue sky at Murdoch’s Tuscan-style vineyard estate in the hills of Bel Air, Los Angeles.
Zhukova, 67, carried a bouquet of white flowers and wore an ankle-length off-the-shoulder white dress with a square neckline designed by London-based designer Emilia Wickstead, while Murdoch sported a dark suit with sneakers. Among the notable guests captured by paparazzi on their way to the ceremony were Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, and Robert Thomson, CEO of News Corp.
The couple reportedly met through Murdoch’s third wife, Wendi Deng, with whom he shares two daughters. Zhukova, a retired molecular biologist who immigrated to the United States from Moscow in 1991, a few months before the fall of the Soviet Union, was previously married to billionaire energy investor Alexander Zhukov.
Details about the couple’s courtship have been scarce, and Murdoch’s representatives have remained tight-lipped. However, reports suggest that shortly after meeting, Murdoch and Zhukova spent weeks vacationing together in the Mediterranean aboard the Christina O, a yacht once owned by Aristotle Onassis. Their engagement was announced in March.
This marks Murdoch’s fifth marriage, following his broken engagement to retired dental hygienist and conservative radio host Ann Lesley Smith last spring. He proposed to Smith last spring but called off the engagement less than a month later.
The news of Murdoch’s latest nuptials has sparked curiosity and speculation among onlookers, with many wondering what the future holds for the newlywed couple. Despite their age difference, Murdoch and Zhukova seem to have found happiness in each other’s company, embarking on this new chapter of their lives together.
As the media buzzes with updates and rumors about the high-profile wedding, one thing is certain: Rupert Murdoch’s fifth marriage is a testament to the enduring power of love and the unpredictable nature of romance, proving that it’s never too late to find happiness with someone special.