SHE famously sprung to his a defence when he was hit in the face with foam at the height of the phone hacking scandal.

Now the marriage between Wendi Deng and Rupert Murdoch appears to be over after the media mogul filed for divorce.

Papers were lodged at the New York Supreme Court yesterday, a spokesman for News Corp confirmed, although the reasons for the marriage breakdown are not yet clear.

Mr Murdoch, 82, and Ms Deng, 44, married in June 1999 on board the mogul's private yacht, Morning Glory, amid tight security.

Only 82 people attended the private New York service, at which the Welsh singer Charlotte Church performed.

The couple have two children together – Grace, who was born in late 2001, and Chloe, who was born in the summer of 2003.

Ms Deng was born to strict parents in mainland China and is Mr Murdoch's third wife.

Her profile soared after she came to her husband's aid when he was attacked with a foam pie during an evidence session at the House of Commons culture committee in 2011.