Rupert Murdoch locked in legal battle with his children over his estate after his death

Rupert Murdoch is in the middle of a bitter legal battle – with his children.

The media mogul, who owns News Corp and Fox News, is in the process of determining who will control his media empire and the family’s $19.6 billion wealth after his death.

On Monday, September 16, Rupert, 93, and four of his children — Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan and James — attended a hearing before a probate commissioner in Reno, Nevada, to discuss who will take over the family business. The hearing, which involves more than 40 attorneys, according to the Associated Press, could potentially extend into next week.

According to the BBC, Rupert is seeking to amend the Murdoch family trust, which dates back to 1999 and handled estate arrangements. The trust stipulates that the family has eight votes on the boards of News Corp and Fox News, four of which belong to Rupert and the other four to his eldest children. When Rupert dies, all four siblings will have an equal number of votes.

But Rupert wants to change the trust so that Lachlan, 53, has full control and voting power without interference from his siblings.

According to the BBC, journalist Andrew Neil said in the 2020 documentary: The Rise of Rupert Murdoch that Rupert had been grooming his sons since they were teenagers to take over the family business.

In turn, according to The New York TimesThe tycoon also pitted his siblings against each other, damaging his relationship with James.

Rupert, who began building his massive media empire in the 1960s, stepped down as chairman of Fox News and News Corps in September 2023, leaving Lachlan (who is politically right-wing like his father) in charge since last November.

The media mogul also put an end to all speculation that he and the company were not doing well.

“Our businesses are healthy, and so am I. Our opportunities far outweigh our business challenges. We have every reason to be optimistic about the years ahead. I certainly am, and I intend to be here to participate,” Rupert wrote in a letter seen by America’s Newsroom co-host Bill Hemmer.

At the time, Lachlan released a statement praising his father for his long career. “We thank him for his vision and pioneering spirit, his unwavering determination and the lasting legacy he leaves behind for the companies he founded and the countless people he impacted,” Lachlan said.

According to The New York TimesLachlan’s political outlook will maintain the conservative values ​​of News Corp and Fox News in the news stations and newspapers, if he remains executive chairman of the companies.

This decision is said to have inspired James, 51, Elisabeth, 66, and Prudence, 56, all three The New York Times categorizes itself as more centrist — to fight back together.

In addition to Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan and James, Rupert is also the father of Grace, 22, and Chloe, 21, who have no voting rights under the Murdoch Family Trust.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Rupert has been married five times. He and his first wife, Patricia Booker, share Prudence. He and Anna Mann, his second wife from 1967 to 1999, share Elisabeth, Lachlan and James.

Wendi Deng, his third wife from 1999 to 2013, is the mother of Grace and Chloe.

Rupert was married to Jerry Hall from 2016 to 2022 and married for a fifth time in June to Elena Zhukova.