Madonna – who is now on her “Rebel Heart Tour” – lodged a claim under child abduction laws against Guy for keeping Rocco, but earlier this month she applied to withdraw that legal action, however, Guy’s own legal team opposed the move stating they want the matter resolved in the United Kingdom rather than the US.
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The judge warned the singer and the film-maker that “summer does not last forever” – and said their child would “very quickly” become an adult. Judge Alistair MacDonald said he would consider the evidence before deciding whether he should allow English proceedings to draw to a close – or whether he should make decisions about Rocco’s welfare.
There, the judge echoed the words of his NY counterpart, urging Ritchie and Madonna to reach an “amicable settlement” to this “highly unfortunate and deeply regrettable” family dispute.
He said it would be better if Madonna and Mr Ritchie could each spend time enjoying his company. Lawyers told MacDonald that both parties had outlined proposals for negotiation.
MacDonald said Madonna accepted that the NY court had “jurisdiction”.
“At the root of these proceedings…is a temporary breakdown in trust”, he said. When all of the celebrity aspects have been stripped away, the central issue was “born out of circumstances that arise for countless separated parents the world over”.
He added: “I renew, one final time, my plea for the parents to seek, and to find, an amicable resolution to the dispute between them”.
Mr Justice MacDonald said it would be a “very great tragedy” if more of the “fast receding” days of Rocco’s youth were taken up by litigation.
In addition to Rocco, Guy and Madonna also share another son, David, 10, who lives with and travels with the singer and his sister, Mercy, 10. At the March 2 hearing, everyone agreed that Rocco should remain in London until his parents can come to an agreement.
That ruling was ignored – and Madonna’s lawyers suggested Ritchie be arrested for contempt of court and compelled to appear in NY.
A judge in NY has made similar pleas.
But so far it seems that the NY judge hearing the case is pretty much commenting in line with what is happening on the ground in England.
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Neither party was present when the judge gave the ruling, but he once more urged Madonna and Guy to resolve their case.
