In March 2023, Rupert Murdoch and Ann Lesley Smith announced they were engaged. Smith described their romance as “a gift from God,” in an interview Murdoch gave to the New York Post. The engagement was called off in April; they did not marry.
What Ann Lesley Smith said about the romance
“For us both it’s a gift from God,” Smith said, according to the New York Post interview as quoted by The Guardian on March 20, 2023. The phrase was Smith’s description of the relationship at the time, not an explanation for what happened later.
Murdoch also spoke about his feelings in that interview: “I was very nervous. I dreaded falling in love – but I knew this would be my last. It better be. I’m happy.” His words reflected how he felt then; the engagement did not lead to marriage.
How the engagement unfolded
- September 2022: The couple reportedly met at a 200-person event at Murdoch’s Moraga vineyard in Bel Air, according to The Guardian.
- March 17, 2023: Murdoch reportedly proposed in New York. The Los Angeles Times described the ring as an Asscher-cut diamond solitaire.
- March 20, 2023: Their engagement was reported following the New York Post interview, with Smith’s “gift from God” remark reproduced by The Guardian.
- April 4, 2023: The Guardian and the Los Angeles Times reported that the engagement had been called off.
Why did they call off the engagement?
The cited reports of the cancellation do not establish a reliable, attributable reason. Without a confirmed explanation from the people involved or reporting that supports one, it would be speculation to say why they separated.
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Did Rupert Murdoch and Ann Lesley Smith get married?
No. Their engagement ended in April 2023, before a marriage took place. The Associated Press later described the Smith engagement as having lasted about two weeks while reporting Murdoch’s plans to marry Elena Zhukova in March 2024. Smith should therefore be described as Murdoch’s former fiancée, not his current one.
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