Rupert Murdoch, the founder of Fox News, has reportedly embarked on a romantic cruise in the Mediterranean with Elena Zhukova, a retired Russian-American scientist. The two are currently sailing on a yacht that was once owned by the legendary Greek magnate Aristotle Onassis. Accompanying them on this luxurious getaway are two of Murdoch’s daughters from a previous marriage.
Elena Zhukova, 66, is a renowned molecular biologist and an expert in the field of diabetes. She moved to the United States in 1991 after divorcing her first husband. According to sources, Zhukova was introduced to Murdoch, 92, by her daughter Dasha, who is a socialite and was previously married to Russian businessman Roman Abramovich. Dasha is also known to be a friend of Murdoch’s third wife, Wendi Deng.
Dasha, who holds dual Russian and American citizenship, was married to Abramovich from 2008 to 2018. As part of their divorce settlement, she received a lavish Manhattan mansion. Shortly after, in 2019, she tied the knot with Stavros Niarchos II, heir to a Greek shipping fortune.
Murdoch, the 92-year-old Australian media mogul, has been married four times and has six children. He divorced Deng in 2013. Earlier this year, he called off his engagement to Ann Lesley Smith, allegedly due to her strong Christian beliefs and her admiration for Fox News host Tucker Carlson. The sudden firing of Carlson by Fox News in April had a significant impact on the network’s ratings.
Aside from Fox News, which Murdoch founded in 1996, his media empire includes Sky News, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, The Sun, The Times, and the publishing house Harper Collins.
Sources close to Murdoch and Zhukova reveal that their relationship is in the early stages. Murdoch’s daughters, Grace and Chloe, have reportedly joined them on the luxury yacht Christina O, which is currently sailing in the Ionian Sea off the coast of Corfu.
The Christina O, a former Canadian frigate, was purchased by Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis after World War II and named after his daughter. It underwent a transformation into a luxurious yacht to outdo his rival, Stavros Niarchos. The vessel has a rich history, having hosted the wedding reception of actress Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco in 1956. It was also redecorated by Onassis’ second wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, the widow of US President John F. Kennedy who was assassinated in 1963. Renting the Christina O is estimated to cost $767,000 per week.
As the romantic cruise continues, Murdoch and Zhukova are enjoying the privacy and luxury of their Mediterranean getaway.
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