Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch is set to tie the knot for the fifth time with his partner Ann Lesley Smith, a former police chaplain. The couple, with an age difference of 26 years, met last September at an event held at his vineyard in California. The 92-year-old announced the engagement to the New York Post, one of his own publications. Murdoch, who split from his fourth wife Jerry Hall last year, said, “I dreaded falling in love, but I knew this would be my last. It better be. I’m happy.” The Australian-American businessman also mentioned that he proposed to Ms. Smith on St. Patrick’s Day, saying he was “one fourth Irish” and was “very nervous.”
Murdoch is a well-known media mogul with several successful businesses under his name. He is the chairman of News Corp, which owns several media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, and The Times of London. He has been married four times before, with three of those marriages ending in divorce. His first marriage was to Patricia Booker, followed by those to Anna Torv, Wendi Deng, and Jerry Hall. Murdoch has six children from his previous marriages.
The announcement of Murdoch’s engagement has drawn attention from around the world, with many taking an interest in the couple’s age difference. Some have also noted that Ms. Smith was a frequent attendee of Murdoch’s events before their relationship became romantic. Murdoch is known for his active social life and has been linked to several high-profile women in the past, including Ivanka Trump.
While the news of Murdoch’s engagement may be surprising to some, it is clear that he is excited to take this next step in his life. Despite his age, he remains a prominent figure in the media industry and continues to work actively in his businesses. It remains to be seen when the couple will officially tie the knot, but many are already eagerly anticipating the event.