Lachlan finally has control of Murdoch empire but deal is a win for sibling rivals

For Lachlan Murdoch and his father, it means the businesses remain in the hands of someone determined to keep their conservative slant. Photograph: Doug Peters/Alamy

As a keen rock climber, Lachlan Murdoch knows a thing or two about the importance of clinging on to perilous terrain. After the toughest ascent of his life – rising to the top of his father’s business empire – he has finally ensured that his place at its summit is assured.

The deal Rupert Murdoch’s eldest son has struck with his oldest siblings, Prudence, Elisabeth and James, will mean they give up their shares in the family business, handing Lachlan the long-term control that he and his father craved.