Madonna Hits Back After Losing Custody Of Rocco

Madonna has lost her bitter nine-month custody battle with Guy Ritchie over where their son Rocco should live.

The Sherlock Holmes director reached a settlement with the Queen of Pop just hours before they were due to appear in court in New York on Wednesday.

Ritchie’s lawyer Peter Bronstein told reporters waiting that 16-year-old Rocco will continue to live with his dad in London. “The case is settled and everyone agrees that Rocco’s needs changed and he’s going to be living with dad,” he said. “Everyone’s agreed to that and there’s no further need for any kind of a court case.”

The fallout began in December last year when Rocco and Madonna had a barney when she confiscated his mobile phone and he quit her Rebel Heart tour.

The teenager ended up spending Christmas with Guy Ritchie and current wife Jacqui – and then refused to return to America at the start of the school term.

Madonna appeared to concede defeat during a gig in Auckland as early as March, when she told the audience that she had “lost the battle” before tearfully adding that “there’s no love stronger than a mother for her son.”

However, the singer reacted to yesterday’s news in typically defiant style, sharing a series of pictures that appeared to hit back at the decision and her critics.

Next to a striking image of herself in a black hoodie with a crown drawn on her head and the words ‘B****’ underneath, the singer added “Because sometimes soccer Mom’s need to be a… “

Hopefully the bitter, drawn out dispute won’t have a long-lasting effect on Rocco’s relationship with his mum. Recently the Mail on Sunday revealed she’d splashed out £50,000 on a private jet to fly him to New York with some pals to celebrate his 16th birthday, so that should provide a little sweetener.