Rupert Murdoch, 92, is currently sailing around with his new Russian girlfriend

Publish date: 2024-07-22

Is it just me or does Rupert Murdoch have way too much romantic drama for a 92 year old man? Granted, I hear that the senior dating scene is a hotbed of intrigue, sexcapades and melodrama, but Murdoch swims in the rarefied world of billionaires and moguls. You would think that he would play his cards a bit tighter to the chest. Earlier this year, Rupert proposed to his 66-year-old girlfriend Ann Lesley Smith, after he basically dumped Jerry Hall (his fourth wife) to be with Ann. Turns out, Ann Lesley was and is a total wingnut, so much so that she scared off Murdoch and he ended the engagement after a few weeks. We haven’t gotten an update on his love life in several months. Then, this week, the Daily Mail broke the story: he’s dating a Russian scientist who is well-connected to Putin’s Russian oligarchs. OMG.

Tycoon Rupert Murdoch, aged 92, has started dating a beautiful retired scientist – after meeting her through his third wife Wendi Deng. The two are cruising the Mediterranean in the legendary superyacht Christina O which he has rented and are today on the coast of Corfu.

Murdoch suffered disappointment and drama this spring when his engagement to former police chaplain and vineyard owner Ann Lesley Smith was called off just two weeks after it was announced…

But, undeterred, the media mogul is now in the ‘early stages’ of a romance with Elena Zhukova, 66. She is the mother of Dasha Zhukova, the beautiful Russian socialite who is famous for her marriage to Russian oligarch and former Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich. Dasha and Murdoch’s third wife Wendi Deng are great friends in New York and it seems that this is the connection. ‘They met through Wendi and Dasha’, says a source.

Ms Zhukova is a twice-divorced molecular biologist and specialist in diabetes. She has lived in America for over three decades after leaving Russia in 1991 with her daughter. Before retiring she worked at the medical research unit in UCLA. Sources say she spends a lot of time with her grandchildren by Dasha and Roman.

Dasha, 42, divorced Abramovich in 2019 and her settlement included a four-storey house in Manhattan. She is now married to Stavros Niarchos, the billionaire heir to the shipping dynasty. Murdoch and Ms Zhukova senior are apparently cruising the Med on a family summer holiday. Murdoch was spotted in Positano last month, lunching at the Da Adolfo restaurant. Reports suggest that his son Lachlan and wife Sarah joined him, sailing their new $150 million yacht Sarissa.

[From The Daily Mail]

The Mail goes on to point out that many of Rupert’s children have joined him on the Christina O, including his two daughters by Wendi Deng. But not James Murdoch, who is seemingly on the outs with his father. James is the one who is newly friendly with Prince Harry too. As for Elena Zhukova… well, I don’t think this is going to end well, but I’m curious to see what happens next. If she’s lived in America for decades, she probably isn’t rolling deep with oligarchs, but you never know. Tatler says that Elena was married to Alexander Zhukov, who is definitely one of Putin’s oligarchs. Elena and Alexander split when their daughter Dasha was just three years old. All of the Russian money in Europe… I mean, eventually Murdoch was going to get honey-trapped by a Russian woman.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Celebrities at Scott's restaurant in London, United Kingdom,Image: 374623890, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no -Washington, District of Columbia – 20180424 -PICTURED: Rupert Murdoch and Mrs. Jerry Murdoch -PHOTO by: Ron Sachs/CNP/startraksphoto.com -042418_Trump-Marcon_300 This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Startraks Photo for licensing fee and rights information at sales@startraksphoto.com or call +1 212 414 9464 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Startraks Photo reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Rupert Murdoch and Mrs. Jerry Murdoch Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 24 Apr 2018 Credit: Ron Sachs/CNP/startraksphoto.com , Los Angeles, CA -20190224 Celebrities pose for pictures as they arrive at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. -PICTURED: Rupert Murdoch -PHOTO by: Milla Cochran/startraksphoto.com This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Startraks Photo for licensing fee and rights information at sales@startraksphoto.com or call +1 212 414 9464 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Startraks Photo reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Rupert Murdoch Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 24 Feb 2019 Credit: Milla Cochran/startraksphoto.com
, New York, NY – 20191119 Celebrities pose for pictures as they arrive at the Citymeals on Wheels 33rd annual power lunch for women. -PICTURED: Rupert Murdoch -PHOTO by: Kristin Callahan/ACE Pictures/INSTARimages.com -111919_Citymeals_K014 Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing Featuring: Rupert Murdoch Where: New York, New York, United States When: 19 Nov 2019 Credit: Kristin Callahan/ACE Pictures/INSTARimages.com

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