Not even two weeks. Rupert Murdoch recently announced he was getting married for the fifth time. Two weeks later, the president of Fox Corporation was in the news again. This time, he made headlines by announcing that the wedding was called off. Vanity Fair published the exclusive. A source close to the magazine claimed that the couple broke off the engagement due to "a strong difference of opinion," although Murdoch didn't provide any clarification.
Had he moved forward with the engagement, his ex-fiancee, Ann Lesley Smith, would have been his fifth wife. The couple seemed very happy to announce their engagement in the New York Post on March 17. Although Murdoch didn't deny it, popping the question made him very "nervous": "I was very nervous. I dreaded falling in love — but I knew this would be my last. It better be. I’m happy."
Ann Lesley Smith, 66, didn't hesitate and said yes. She has also been married twice. Furthermore, she recalled, her former husband was a very similar person to the businessman who owned Fox Corporation:
I’m a widow 14 years. Like Rupert, my husband was a businessman. Worked for local papers, developed radio and TV stations and helped promote Univision. So I speak Rupert’s language. We share the same beliefs.
The problem, Vanity Fair said, has to do with religious beliefs. Apparently, Rupert Murdoch was uncomfortable with Lesley Smith's outspoken religious views and it was something the couple could not work out. So, two weeks later, they decided to end their engagement. It is not known whether the two will continue their relationship and try to get married again in the future or if, on the contrary, they have decided to end their relationship for good.
