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Murdoch family case

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Murdoch’s succession war is over, but family trust is gone

Rodney Tiffen Academic and author September 10, 2025 — 5.00am

Peace has broken out in the Murdoch succession wars. It is not the ending that the writers of the TV series Succession would have contrived. It is one that owes more to commercial logic than dramatic licence.

Lachlan will inherit clear control of the Murdoch empire when Rupert dies, and his three siblings – Prudence, Elisabeth and James – will each receive an exit payment of $US1.1 billion, roughly 80 per cent of the current value of the stock, and they will no longer be part of the Murdoch Family Trust.

The “irrevocable” trust was drawn up in 1999 under the shadow of Rupert’s pending divorce from his second

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