92-Year-Old 'Media Tycoon' Murdoch's 5th Marriage Falls Through... "Because of Religion"

"Divorce Declared Just Two Weeks After 'Last Marriage' Announcement"

The fifth marriage of 'media mogul' Rupert Murdoch (92) attracted public attention but was reportedly called off within two weeks.

On the 4th (local time), English-language media unanimously reported that Murdoch canceled his marriage plans with Ann Lesley Smith (66), whom he had previously declared as his 'last wife.'

The New York Post, a U.S. daily owned by Murdoch, announced on the 20th of last month that he was engaged to Smith, a former police chaplain at the San Francisco Police Department. At the time, Murdoch said he planned to hold a formal wedding this summer, adding, "I was afraid of falling in love, but I knew this would be the last time. I am happy."

Last Marriage Ends in Last Breakup

Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch.

Attention was focused on the 'last romance' of the 92-year-old media mogul. Murdoch and Smith were first spotted vacationing in Barbados in January. In February, reports emerged that Murdoch planned to purchase a stake in a building on Central Park South in New York, which would serve as their residence, for $30 million (approximately 39.4 billion KRW). Also, just last week, Smith was seen wearing an 11-carat diamond ring worth $2 million (approximately 2.6 billion KRW).

Murdoch, owner of several influential media outlets including Fox News and The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), divorced his fourth wife, former model Jerry Hall (66), in June last year. His fianc?e Smith is a former country singer and businesswoman who was previously married to Chester Smith, and her immediate past husband is known as the founder of the Spanish-language TV network Univision.

Murdoch revealed in a New York Post interview that he first met Smith at his Moraga winery in Bel Air, California, three months after his divorce. Smith said, "I have been living alone for 14 years," and added, "Like Murdoch, my ex-husband was also a businessman. Because of this, I speak the same language as Murdoch. We share the same beliefs."

Various Reasons... "Religious Reasons," "Due to Pressure"

English-language media expressed surprise over the breakup, stating, "The romance is over." However, opinions differ regarding the reasons behind it. Vanity Fair magazine reported that "Murdoch gradually became uncomfortable with his fianc?e's evangelical faith."

Other outlets reported that Smith had difficulty appearing in public, and that the two mutually agreed "after heartfelt conversations last night to cancel the engagement."