Anna Murdoch-Mann, Former Wife of Media Tycoon Rupert Murdoch, Passes Away at 81
Anna Murdoch-Mann, the acclaimed author and philanthropist who was once married to Australian media magnate Rupert Murdoch, has died at the age of 81. Her passing occurred on Tuesday at her residence in Palm Beach, Florida, as confirmed by reports from the New York Post, a publication owned by her ex-husband's media conglomerate.
A Three-Decade Marriage and Media Empire Building
Murdoch-Mann was married to Rupert Murdoch for an impressive 31 years, during which she played a significant and active role in the development and expansion of his global media empire, News Corporation. Together, the couple raised three children: Elisabeth, James, and Lachlan Murdoch. Notably, Lachlan currently serves as the chair of News Corp, continuing the family's legacy in the media industry.
The marriage ultimately ended in 1998 following Rupert Murdoch's affair with Wendi Deng, who later became his third wife. In the aftermath of the split, Murdoch-Mann revealed that she was forcibly removed from the News Corp board. The divorce was finalized in 1999, with Murdoch-Mann receiving a substantial settlement reported to be around $1.7 billion.
Post-Divorce Life and Personal Revelations
Shortly after the divorce, Rupert Murdoch married Wendi Deng in a ceremony aboard his yacht in New York Harbor. Meanwhile, Anna Murdoch-Mann moved forward with her life, marrying Wall Street financier William Mann in October 1999. Their marriage lasted until Mann's death in 2017. She later married Ashton dePeyster in 2019.
In a candid 2001 interview with Australian Women's Weekly, Murdoch-Mann opened up about the challenges in her marriage to Rupert Murdoch. She described him as "extremely hard, ruthless, and determined that he was going to go through with this no matter what I wanted or what I was trying to do to save the marriage." She added, "He had no interest in that whatsoever."
Family Dynamics and Succession Concerns
During the same interview, Murdoch-Mann expressed deep concerns about her children competing to become their father's successor within the media empire. She stated, "I think they're all so good that they could do whatever they wanted. But I think there's going to be a lot of heartbreak and hardship with this [fight for succession]." These familial tensions famously inspired the hit HBO television series Succession.
In September 2025, it was announced that Lachlan Murdoch, the eldest son of Rupert and Anna, would secure control of the vast media empire founded by his father. This empire includes prominent outlets such as Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, and the Times in the UK. Lachlan's three older siblings were set to receive approximately $1.1 billion each for their shares in the business.
Early Life and Philanthropic Legacy
Anna Murdoch-Mann was born Anna Torv in Glasgow, Scotland. At the age of nine in 1944, her family emigrated to Australia. She embarked on a career in journalism, working as a reporter for the Sydney Daily Mirror and later for the Sydney Daily Telegraph.
Beyond her media connections, Murdoch-Mann was a prolific author, penning three novels, and a dedicated philanthropist. She focused her charitable efforts on causes benefiting children, holding leadership positions at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Haiti's Hospital Albert Schweitzer. In recognition of her humanitarian work, she was honored as a Dame of the Order of St Gregory the Great by Pope John Paul II in 1998.
