Madonna 'wins custody of children' in battle with Ritchie

Herald online

1 Feb, 2009 11:05 PM5 mins to read

Madonna and Guy Ritchie have come to an agreement over custody of the children. Photos / AP

KEY POINTS:

Madonna

has won a residency battle with her ex-husband

Guy Ritchie

and is poised to take their children to live with her in the US, according to reports.

The former celebrity couple

divorced in November

, citing "unreasonable behaviour", and failed to come to an agreement over custody of the children - until now.

Madge, 50, has just been granted temporary permission to move her two boys -

Rocco

, 8, and

David

, 3, who was adopted from a Malawi orphanage - to live with her in New York, according to London's

Evening Standard

newspaper.

A snitch said, "Everything is going to be resolved in the next couple of weeks. Everything is going well. It's pretty amicable at the moment. Things are progressing.

"There was an issue about where the children should live but that has been decided in Madonna's favour."

Madge had reportedly argued that it was her right as a mother to have her boys with her - especially considering her daughter, Lourdes, 12, wants to be located close to her father, fitness trainer

Carlos Leon

, in New York.

Guy, on the other hand, wanted the boys to be educated in the UK and stay with him in London.

"He thought he had a real chance, especially as their school is here. He desperately loves those boys and is a devoted dad," a snitch tells the

Sun

newspaper.

And while Madge is no doubt popping the champagne corks and filing her talons after the victory,

ex Ritchie is said to be

gutted but resigned

" that his two boys will re-locate to the US with their mother.

I will make sure they are proud of their English roots

," Guy reportedly said.

Another snitch close to Guy said: "Guy will still see his sons all the time. He said, ‘It doesn't matter where they live - they will always have the hearts and souls of Englishmen.'

"Football, appreciating the countryside, good humour and decent music - Guy's determined these symbols of Britishness will forever be part of their lives."

Madge and Guy - who were married for nearly eight years - announced their split in October, and their divorce became final on January 2.

The former couple has so far remained tight-lipped about the split - bar Madge making a few

thinly-veiled digs

at Guy during a concert.

But not everyone's been so discreet.

Papa don't preach

Guy's father blabbed to the tabs last week and said he was "pleased" that his son's marriage was over. He also said he was glad Madonna is distracting herself with "lots of boyfriends" because "she won't be looking for him".

He told

In Touch Weekly

magazine: "Guy has been in a very good mood. I wasn't upset that they split. I am very pleased for Guy that it is over. The worst thing would be if they reconciled." Brave man. Or he's incredibly stupid.

Madonna's mouthpiece has so far declined to comment on the court order.

There was always a danger this divorce could have rivaled Sir Paul McCartney's split from Heather Mills - in terms of public displays of 'bitch and bile' at least - but the pair appear to have smoked the peace pipe for the sake of the kids.

All Guy was rooting for was the welfare of the kids, it seems - and the rumoured US$60 million in cash, a Wiltshire country estate and a London pub he picked up as part of his divorce settlement, obviously. But good on him for calling a truce.

Madonna Down Under

Meanwhile, Madonna has announced plans to extend her

Sticky and Sweet

world tour this year. She'll be hitting the road again in July and heading for Europe...as well as Australia! Apparently so.

While her official statement says she's very much "looking forward to an amazing summer in Europe", rumour has it that she's also eyeing up concert dates in Japan and Australia in September.

Crafty Madge fans spotted the mooted Australian dates on her tour promoter's website last week - before they were mysteriously removed. The itinerary reportedly included shows in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne around September.

Watch this space...

Quote of the day

"Being a nun now makes total sense. I wouldn't do it for Jesus - I would do it to see tabloid gossip people have zero to write about. ‘She prays all [bleep]- ing day - what are we going to write about now?' "

- Serene sister,

Lily Allen

Retro Monday

Video:

George Michael

...

Star People

BBB

Fast gossip

Canoodle alert:

Salma Hayek

and