In a dramatic showdown set to begin on Monday, several of media mogul Rupert Murdoch's children will challenge his plan to pass control of his vast businesses to his eldest son, Lachlan Murdoch. The battle for dominance over the Murdoch empire, which encompasses influential media outlets such as Fox News and the Wall Street Journal, is expected to unfold in court as the heirs apparent vie for power and control.

Lachlan Murdoch, the third-oldest of Rupert's six children and his eldest son, has devoted his entire life to working within his father's media empire. Starting as the general manager of an Australian print publishing arm, Lachlan has steadily climbed the ranks to become the head of Fox and News Corp. Displaying his business acumen, Lachlan has been directly involved in some of the empire's most significant decisions, including the $71 billion sale of the 21st Century Fox entertainment division to Disney in 2019 and the decision for Fox News to pay a $787.5 million defamation settlement over false claims of 2020 election fraud.

An insider familiar with the Murdoch family dynamics revealed that Lachlan has long been viewed as the "golden child" by his father. This support from Rupert Murdoch adds further weight to Lachlan's position as the heir apparent, but it remains to be seen how the court proceedings will unfold.

Rupert Murdoch himself inherited two newspapers in Adelaide, Australia at the young age of 22, following his father's death. From there, he embarked on an ambitious journey, acquiring multiple newspapers in Australia and New Zealand during the 1950s and 60s, before expanding his media presence into the United Kingdom and the United States. Through his company News Corporation, Murdoch amassed a formidable media empire, which included the acquisition of 20th Century Fox, the establishment of Fox, Inc., and the founding of Fox News.

However, the Murdoch empire has not been without its controversies. In the 2000s, Rupert Murdoch found himself entangled in scandals both in the United States and the United Kingdom. These scandals involved allegations that staff members at his tabloid newspaper, "News of the World," had illegally hacked the phones of celebrities, politicians, members of the British royal family, and even victims of the September 11 attacks. As a result, the newspaper ultimately ceased publication.

James Murdoch, previously named as Rupert Murdoch's successor, resigned from News Corp. in 2020, after being critical of the far-right elements within the family empire. Now, as the court battle looms, the question of who will ultimately control the Murdoch media empire hangs in the balance.

According to Forbes, the Murdoch family is presently ranked as the 96th richest in the world, with an estimated net worth of $20.1 billion. As the courtroom drama unfolds, it is certain that the outcome of this legal battle will have far-reaching implications for the future direction of one of the most influential media conglomerates in the world.