Celebrating something, Rupert? Murdoch jets off with a woman tipped to become his FIFTH wife – and eight cases of his own vineyard’s wine
- Rupert Murdoch is yet to confirm a relationship with Elena Zhukova
- The former Fox News boss seemed in good spirits before the flight
Many people like to pack their favorite things when they go on holiday, such as a jar of Marmite – or even their favorite teddy bear.
But when billionaire Rupert Murdoch heads out with your latest love interest, eight cases of wine from your own private vineyard are essential.
Our exclusive photos – the first of the former News Corp boss since he officially left the role three weeks ago – show the 92-year-old with his new companion, retired scientist Elena Zhukova, 66, at a private jet airport in LA.
The pair are yet to confirm a relationship but were first spotted together just four months after the tycoon broke off his engagement to dental hygienist and radio presenter Ann Lesley Smith.
The trip will undoubtedly fuel speculation that Zhukova – the mother of Roman Abramovich's ex-wife Dasha – could be next in line for a ring from the mogul.
Our exclusive photos – the first of the former News Corp boss since he officially left the post three weeks ago – show the 92-year-old with his new companion, retired scientist Elena Zhukova, 66, at a private jet airport in LA
When you're billionaire Rupert Murdoch and you're hitting the road with your latest love interest, the essentials include eight cases of wine from your own private vineyard
The former Fox News boss seemed in good spirits before the flight — and it's no wonder. Along with their luggage, the couple traveled with eight cases of wine from his Moraga Estate in Bel Air – the only vineyard in LA. The cheapest bottle costs €73.
Another bag unloaded from the car contained a brown handwritten label with his initials, which read: 'KRM medication' – his full name is Keith Rupert Murdoch.
The billionaire has had a long string of back-to-back relationships over the decades. Since his first marriage in 1956 to fellow countrywoman Patricia Booker, a flight attendant, he has spent only three years without a ring on his finger.
His second marriage to journalist Anna Torv lasted 32 years. But seventeen days after their divorce in 1999, he married media executive Wendi Deng. They were married for 14 years. The tycoon married model and actress Jerry Hall in 2016, but they divorced in August last year after Murdoch ended the marriage by email.
In March 2023, he had proposed to Ann Lesley Smith for the fifth time. But it was canceled in April. It is not known whether she kept or returned the £2 million, 11 carat diamond engagement ring he gave her.
Shortly afterwards, rumors about Zhukova began to circulate and the pair were spotted together, sailing across the Mediterranean in a superyacht. It may have been smooth sailing at the time, but whether she is in line to become the fifth Mrs. Murdoch remains to be seen.