Madonna has finally spoken out about the contentious custody battle between herself and ex-husband Guy Ritchie over their son Rocco. The superstar took to Instagram to express her feelings on the matter after a settlement was reached between the pair one day ago.
The dispute of the former couple’s 16-year-old son, Rocco, was settled out of court, and resulted in allowance being given to Rocco to continue living with his father in their England home. On Instagram, the material girl posted a photo of her four kids and herself, as well as friends. Her four kids include 19-year-old Lourdes, Rocco, and David and Mercy James, both 10. Under the image, Madonna wrote a heartfelt caption.
“We are family! no matter where we are in the [world].”
Entertainment Tonight shares about the earlier course of events which led to the out-of-court settlement.
Madonna & Guy Ritchie have settled their custody battle over 16-year-old son Rocco: https://t.co/m9zyWRqdTd pic.twitter.com/aL2WC47dLH
— E! News (@enews) September 8, 2016
“In March, a U.K. judge ruled that the dispute over Rocco’s residency would be decided in a New York court or through family mediation, stating, ‘It would be a very great tragedy for Rocco if any more of the previous and fast receding days of his childhood were to be taken up by this dispute.’”
Madonna addresses custody battle as Rocco remains with Guy Ritchie https://t.co/G1If2dVmuH pic.twitter.com/y2I3dA3RFO
— Mirror Celeb (@MirrorCeleb) September 8, 2016
The publication shares the words of the judge overseeing the case between Madonna and the Sherlock Holmes director, Guy Ritchie.
“I renew, one final time, my plea for both parents to seek and to find an amicable resolution to the dispute between them,” Justice MacDonald said Monday according to court docs obtained by ET .
“Most importantly, as I observed during the course of the hearing, summer does not last forever. The boy very quickly becomes the man. It would be a very great tragedy for Rocco if any more of the previous and fast receding days of his childhood were to be taken up by this dispute.”
Rocco had been living with his father since last year while his parents battled it out for custody of him and argued over his living arrangements. He reunited in NYC with Madonna in June, and the two have appeared to be on good terms since.
The dispute was a trying time for the Queen of Pop, who seemed to be so affected earlier this year by the drama between her ex-husband, in regards to her son, that is showed in her world tour performances. The singer mentioned her son on a number of occasions during shows. Madonna had tried her hardest to convince her son to return to live in her care in Los Angeles, yet Rocco was fully resistant. The singer even flew to London, taking a break from her tour to attempt to bring her son back. He resisted, and the custody battle continued.
Earlier this year, Rocco was also caught in situations on camera using illegal substances, as the Sun UK shares.
“Rocco has been a regular at the skate park outside the BFI for several weeks and was seen on separate occasions in January and February holding roll ups.At one point he appeared to use a grinder, which is commonly used to shred cannabis. The video and images have left Madonna ‘shocked and devastated’. But time is running out for her to persuade headstrong Rocco to give up his life in London with his film director dad.”
The videos found their way onto social media which also caused Madonna to be even more concerned about Rocco living with his father. She felt that her ex-husband was not acting as the role model that their teen son needed in his life and urged that her son be sent back to be in her care.
[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]
