NOT IN A HOLIDAY MOOD

Murdoch Family Christmas Gathering in Jeopardy Amid ‘Bad Blood’

Rupert, 93, ruffled the feathers of his children James, Elisabeth, and Prudence when he attempted to consolidate power around son Lachlan.

The Murdoch family are unlikely to get together this Christmas amid “bad blood” stemming from a Succession-style feud over who will run the show when Rupert Murdoch is gone. The patriarch, 93, ruffled the feathers of his children James, Elisabeth, and Prudence when he attempted to consolidate power around his oldest son, Lachlan. Just like in the hit HBO show, News Corp shareholders are reportedly jittery as the rifts in the family trust could lead to instability over the future direction of the business, which includes Fox News, among other media giants. A Nevada probate commissioner ruled this week that Rupert’s attempt to amend an irrevocable family trust in Lachlan’s favor, reportedly in a bid to keep his media empire’s conservative bent, was unfair. But sources say the pair won’t give up, and that could make Christmas a bit awkward. “The chances of the Murdochs gathering around the tree this year appear vanishingly small,” the Financial Times reported, citing sources close to the family.