Madonna’s boy, 15, in court to hear parents’ tug- of- love over him
THE teenage son of pop superstar Madonna and her ex- husband Guy Ritchie went to the High Court in London yesterday as lawyers argued over his future.
Rocco, 15, attended the hearing in Court 39 and sat surrounded by his legal team.
In the pre- lunch session he was joined by Mr Ritchie’s second wife, model Jacqui Ainsley, 34.
In the afternoon 47- year- old film director Mr Ritchie also joined his son after a morning’s filming with Jude Law. Father and son smiled frequently at each other as their lawyers addressed the court.
Rocco’s mother, 57, is on tour in Melbourne, Australia, and was unable to attend.
She appeared on stage in a clown outfit, riding a child’s tricycle and singing Stephen Sondheim’s Send in the Clowns.
Family Division judge Mr Justice Macdonald was hearing an attempt by Madonna to drop legal proceedings in Britain, meaning that Rocco’s future would be decided in the US. The star wants to force her former husband to return their son to America.
The boy has been staying in London with his father since December.
The judge said the fact that the hearing was taking place could be reported and the parties could be named but he said no detail of the day’s proceedings could be publicised.
At a previous hearing, Madonna had made an application under the Hague Convention – which deals with the abduction of children – for the return of the teenager.
Yesterday the judge again expressed the “fervent hope” that mother and father would resolve the issues between them with an amicable settlement.
The judge will continue hearing legal arguments today but warned he would need time before giving his judgment.