At the start of the weekend, as y’all prolly remember, we learned that the court in Malawi overseeing Madonna‘s adoption bid to become mother to 3 year old Chifundo Mercy James denied her petition for adoption and altho Maddy extended her stay in the country for a while longer she finally decided to leave Malawi early yesterday morning while her lawyers in Malawi launch an appeal to overturn the denial. It turns out that Maddy and her children Lourdes Maria, Rocco John and David Banda (her first adopted child) made their way to London instead of NYC where they were met at the airport by a very supportive person … her soon to be ex-hubby Guy Ritchie. Here are a few photos of Madonna‘s arrival in London yesterday and of Guy happily collecting his son David Banda:
Madonna returned to Britain last night after ordering lawyers to ‘do everything’ to win her adoption battle. The singer, 50, was said to be ‘devastated and shaking’ at having to leave Mercy James, four, behind in Malawi. As she touched down at Luton airport, the strain visible on her face, her Gulfstream jet was met by ex-husband Guy Ritchie. Ritchie leapt up the stairs to sweep their adopted son David into his arms for a hug, and whisk him and son Rocco, eight, off to his Wiltshire estate. He and Madonna did not appear to speak to each other, but Ritchie has publicly supported the adoption of Mercy. However, the pair were said to have argued over the issue while still married, and Ritchie’s father John said yesterday that his son would be ‘very relieved’ by the court’s decision. Judge Esme Chombo ruled last week that Madonna could not adopt Mercy as she had not met residency rules which require adoptive parents to live in Malawi for 18 to 24 months. The star’s lawyer Alan Chinula described the judgment as ‘incomprehensible’, saying the same court had approved her adoption of David Banda in 2006. He said they were appealing the decision in Malawi’s Supreme Court, and believed he had a good chance of winning. Sources said Madonna told him: ‘Do whatever you can to get me my Mercy; I can’t imagine her going back to the orphanage.’ The singer and her eldest daughter Lourdes, 12, were said to have fought back tears as they left Malawi without the child. Madonna also reportedly told aides: ‘I can’t believe I’m leaving my beautiful baby behind. It’s not right. I love that baby girl . . . She’s my little girl – she needs to be with me.’ Officials have already returned Mercy to an orphanage, despite the appearance of a man claiming to be her biological father. Security guard James Kambewa, 24, said he was willing to take a DNA test to prove he was Mercy’s father and wants to raise the child. If the court in Malawi accepts his paternity claim it is likely to be the final blow to Madonna’s hopes of adopting the child. Mr Kambewa, who lives in a remote village 100 miles from Lilongwe, said he was told Mercy had died with her mother the birth. He told the Sunday Mirror: ‘I bear no grudge against Madonna. But I am Mercy’s father and I want her to stay with me… I will make it plain that my daughter will be staying in Malawi with me.’ Madonna had been told the girl was an orphan and Malawian authorities said her mother and father were dead. The girl’s other relatives had consented to the adoption.
What a swell Guy, indeed. Altho this report makes sure to mention that Madonna and Guy did not speak on the tarmac, I can only believe that Guy was there to offer his support for Maddy in her time of grief. I imagine that all of this has been emotionally hard on Maddy and I’m sure Guy is the kind of person to offer support instead of offering petty nonsense. I think being with Guy and her children, at least for a bit, will be very good for Madonna. Concerning these men coming forth to claim Mercy as their daughter, I really hope that it turns out that her father is still alive. My question is why did these men only step forward after Madonna tried to adopt the little girl? As I said, I hope her father is alive and that he steps forward to care for her … it’s just a sad matter all around. Here’s hoping that Madonna can get the support she needs from the folks in her life and, in the end, I hope the situation works out the best for little Mercy James. She is the most innocent person in all of this with the most to lose.
[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin; Source]
Don’t really get why celebs feel the need to “shop” for their children all over the globe when there are so many kids in need right here in this country. It’s pretty criminal that one in seven US children go to bed hungry every single night while the Madonna’s and Brangelina’s of the world jet to the other side of the planet to seek out children to help.
If the DNA test works out (how very Genoa City), then I hope little Mercy can be reunited with her real father and that they can form a family and he can raise her.
I do feel bad for Madonna because I think she was making a loving gesture in her bid to adopt Mercy, BUT if Mercy finds her real Dad then I really don’t want to see Madonna pursue the appeal because that girl will be placed in a tug of war – a public tug of war – and she’ll be scarred for life. It’s not worth it.
This might be an opportunity for Madge to refocus her efforts on other Raising Malawi work.
fuck madonna. she barely knew that little girl. vadge was crying because someone dared say NO to her phony ass.
I just find it a little bothersome that she refers to her as her baby and that she is crying and saying she loves her and that the girl needs to be with her? How much time has she spent over there with her? A few days over a span of a few years?
I wiil love Madonna till the day I die..
SO FUCK YOU HATERS.
But she’s not with Guy and her children, the article sayd Guy took the boys with him to his estate. So she’s only with Lourdes. And the reason the the man claiming to be her father stepped forward only when Madonna tried to adopt her, is because that’s when he first found out she was alive, and had not died in childbirth as he was told.
Reading is fundamental.
@Beth — Right, they’re not staying together but it was nice of him to be there for her upon arrival. I wasn’t trying to imply that they were getting back together, just that guy was there to lend some support. Also, the cynic in me is suspicious of the father laying claim thing … I do hope I’m wrong.
** the article said (not sayd), oops! Writing is fundamental too!!
….and now that Madonna is gone I bet Malawi is like “shit why did we just do that to Madonna, we just fucked up big time. ” that was the wrong situation to try to take advantage of PR.
Move on Madonna, obviously life in an orphanage in Malawi is great, the orphanage is the place to be. and besides that goody to shoes judge has plenty of resources to take care of all the orphans in Malawi, they dont need the world wide attention youve brought their cause which was virtually unknown befor you came along, their fine with 1 million orphanes, cause Malawi orphanages is where its at, everyone knows that, maybe little mercy will soon have her own kids that will live in the orphanages, anyway everyones coming out of the woodwork now claiming to want to take care of Mercy, even though shes be in the orphanage since birth. Even Americans who have never lifted a finger for someone else in their life, they know whats up.
Fucking Amateurs.
dude, he was at the tarmac to see his child. not to lend support.
I hate to be mean, but if Madge really wanted to adopt Mercy and is distraught over leaving her behind, why not remain in the country longer and establish residency? She can certainly afford it. Then she could visit with the child all she wants.
I don’t think establishing residency in Malawi is a matter of being able to “afford it”…it’s not like a 9-5 where you can just request to work from home. Madonna Inc. is not exactly a business that can be run from a remote village in Africa. She probably has to meet with producers, choreographers, record execs, etc. in London/New York every day. Plus it might not be the best motherly thing to do to leave her other children behind just to fight for this one or to take them out of their schools and find the same level of education for them in Malawi.