Rupert Murdoch attends royal dinner for Trump amid Epstein lawsuit

Donald Trump and Rupert Murdoch are set to attend a dinner at Windsor Castle on Sept. 17. (Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

When U.S. President Donald Trump enters St. George’s Hall for the grand finale of his state visit at Windsor Castle Wednesday night, someone he is suing will be seated at the end of the dinner table: Rupert Murdoch.

Murdoch, a familiar face at state dinners in the past, is currently locked in a major legal battle with Trump, who is suing the powerful owner of the Wall Street Journal after it reported on a suggestive birthday letter given to Jeffrey Epstein bearing Trump’s name. Trump has denied that it’s his signature and said at the time of the report that he personally warned Murdoch he’d sue if the newspaper published it.

The Journal did so anyway, and Trump subsequently filed a lawsuit seeking US$20 billion in damages and Murdoch’s testimony.

Despite that, according to a preview of the dinner given to reporters, Murdoch and his fifth wife Elena will be present at Windsor Castle Wednesday night. They are part of an intimate guest list that includes only about 160 guests, according to royal officials, and was compiled by the Royal Family and the White House.

It is the Royal Family that designates the seating arrangement. Trump will be seated in between King Charles III and Catherine, Princess of Wales, while first lady Melania Trump will be across the table next to Queen Camilla and William, Prince of Wales.

One face who won’t be at the dinner: The recently ousted British ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, who was fired by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer days before the state visit after his extensive ties to Epstein were revealed in media reports. Warren Stephens, the US ambassador to the Court of St. James, will be present.

Other attendees include White House officials, British dignitaries and business executives like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Nvidia CEO Jensuen Huang, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy, Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan and Softbank Board Director Rene Haas.

As U.K. officials seek a favorable trade standing with the U.S., one of Trump’s top officials has a notable seat. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will sit next to Queen Camilla. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his wife are also attending the dinner.

Over 100 staff will serve the meal, with guests seated at a long, ornate table decorated with multiple arrangements of bright flowers in differing sizes. There are approximately 130 candles stretched across the table, which takes an entire week to put together. Each setting has three forks, three knives, a single spoon and five drinking glasses. A mix of English, French and American wine will be served to guests. A perfectly folded napkin completes the lavish table setting.

The menu includes a panna cotta de cresson starter, with parmesan shortbread and a quail egg salad. Guests will then be served organic Norfolk chicken ballotine wrapped in courgettes with a thyme and savory infused jus. Dessert is a vanilla ice cream bombe with a Kentish raspberry sorbet interior, alongside lightly poached Victoria plums.

The royal chef was in contact with the White House chef as they curated the menu, though it’s ultimately designed with King Charles in mind, whom officials described as having an “eclectic palate.”