Madonna gets kids’ custody

LONDON: Pop diva Madonna and British director Guy Ritchie, who just announced their divorce, have reached an agreement on the custody of their three children following a compromise on the financial settlement, British media reported on October 19.

She will have custody of Lourdes, 12, her daughter from a previous relationship, the couple’s eight-year-old son, Rocco, and their three-year-old adopted son David, reported the Mail Sunday.

The newspaper said Madonna will take the children with her to the US. But, the singer is to give Ritchie broad access to the Rocco and David. Ritchie, the report said, plans to buy a house in New York.

“The most important things to him (Ritchie) are having full access to his kids, whom he adores, and a quiet life,” a friend of Richie was quoted as saying. Richie did not fight for custody because he knows it would be difficult as the singer was not a bad mother, the friend added.

Lawyers for the pair earlier settled on money and property matters, with Ritchie expected to get and cash property worth up to £60 million ($104 million).

However, according to thesun.co.uk, Ritchie had initially said he would not want any money from his wife, but now it seems he wants to get as much as possible. Madonna also believes all Ritchie was after was her money. She reportedly told a friend, “I’m totally devastated Guy’s tur-ned out to be such a gold-digger. I thought we’d been on a spiritual journey together for the past 10 years, but obviously I was wrong. He’s just after my money. I’ve worked my a** off for the last 30 years to get what I have, and now this gold-digger wants to take it from me.” She added, “Kabbalah philosophy teaches you don’t take what you haven’t earned. Well that’s exactly what Guy is doing. He hasn’t earned a penny of it, yet wants to take, take, take. He keeps upping his demands — he just wants more, and more, and more from me. It’s unbelievable.”