Rupert Murdoch’s engagement to Ann Lesley Smith means the billionaire media mogul is set to walk down the aisle for a fifth time. It comes barely a year after he divorced his fourth wife Jerry Hall.
Rupert Murdoch is undoubtedly one of the most successful media tycoons in recent history. However, he hasn’t been able to mirror the same winning streak in his personal life.
Murdoch is the Chairman and CEO of News Corp and is valued at $17 billion by Forbes. His media empire includes Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, and several other media assets worldwide.
Unfortunately, his four marriages have not enjoyed the same long-lasting success. He first tied the knot with Patricia Booker in 1956 but they divorced 11 years later in 1967. That same year, he got married to Anna Maria Torv.
In 1999 he divorced Anna and married his third wife Wendi Deng. The two would later go their separate ways in 2013. Altogether, Murdoch’s first three marriages spanned nearly six decades and produced six children.
He tied the knot with his fourth wife Jerry Hall during a civil ceremony at Spencer House in London on March 4, 2016. It remains his shortest marriage, lasting only six years. Currently, Rupert Murdoch has announced his engagement to Ann Lesley Smith with every seriousness.
Rupert Murdoch, 96, Announces Engagement to Ann Lesley Smith, 66: 'I Was Very Nervous' https://t.co/72ciOMxCE4
— People (@people) March 20, 2023
Rupert Murdoch’s Engagement
Murdoch and Hall finalized their divorce in August 2022. A month later, Rupert Murdoch and Ann Lesley Smith met, leading to their engagement.
Ann is a former police chaplain and was previously married to country singer Chester Smith. She has also worked in radio, TV, and print media.
After dating for less than a year, the 92-year-old media mogul decided to take their relationship to the next level. Rupert Murdoch and Ann Lesley Smith’s engagement was after he proposed to her on St. Patrick’s Day in New York City.
Rupert Murdoch announced the engagement via one of his media outlets, “The New York Post.” In an interview published in the newspaper on Monday, the media mogul said:
“I was very nervous. I dreaded falling in love — but I knew this would be my last. It better be. I’m happy.”
The billionaire also revealed he proposed to Ann with an Asscher cut diamond solitaire ring, which he picked out by himself. The newspaper confirmed the nuptials would take place in late summer 2023.