After Madonna’s antics over the weekend at Sean Penn’s Haiti benefit, I think even some die-hard Madonna-loonies are rethinking her custody dispute with Guy Ritchie. As I’ve said, it’s not that I think Guy Ritchie is a saint. He is not. He does not claim to be. But if I was in Rocco’s position, I would rather live with Guy too. In the past few weeks, as Guy and Madge plant stories about each other in the press, Madonna is coming across as a whirling dervish of narcissism and drama. She’s the perpetual teenager, and it must be difficult for her actual teenage son to deal with it. Anyway, a Guy-friendly source dropped some info to People Magazine, because of course.
Looks like Rocco’s got a “Rebel Heart,” too. Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s custody battle may stem from their prickly past, but there’s some teenage defiance involved, too.
A Ritchie source tells PEOPLE the exes’ 15-year-old son Rocco got bored of touring with his mom, “an old-school parent,” late last year and – in an act of rebellion – decided to live with his more laidback dad, who splits his time between London and his Ashcombe estate, where Rocco likes to run around with a Nerf gun.
Rocco refused to return home to his mom for the holidays, so on Dec. 23, Madonna, 57, appeared in a New York City courtroom, where a judge reportedly ordered that he return to the U.S. to sort out his living situation. As PEOPLE reported last week, the teen has yet to return home, and source close to the singer alleged he has missed some school. (The Ritchie source reiterates Rocco hasn’t returned to school in New York.)
While Rocco is determined to stay in London with his dad, who plans to fight for him to do so, Ritchie’s wife, British model Jacqui Ainsley, 34, is eager for the custody dispute to be resolved, says the Ritchie source. Adds the Ritchie source, there appears to be no notion that Rocco has plans to return to New York.
The fact that People Magazine published this is weird, right? The new information that we’re supposed to process is that Rocco is a rebellious teenager who got tired of his mom’s crazy tour and decided to “rebel” by going to his dad’s house and spending time in a pretty typical nuclear family. That’s what’s exotic to Rocco – a normal family, where Jacqui stays home and takes care of the kids and Guy comes home for dinner every night after a day at work. #REBELHEART
I do feel like People Mag kind of buried the lede: “Jacqui Ainsley, 34, is eager for the custody dispute to be resolved, says the Ritchie source.” Why? Why is she so eager? Because she didn’t count on being a full-time step-mom to a rebellious teenager?
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
Hahahahhahahaha I wonder if Madonna will give Rocco that shitty Rebel❤️ Quasi bdsm filter treatment of hers on her IG LMFAO
Bahahahahahahaha
I think Rocco left Madonna cause who wouldn’t? She would make Jesus crazy.
Seems like the most rebellious kids are the ones who end up being most like their parents (i.e. Madonna and her dad).
My guess is, ‘Jacqui,’ is eager for it to be resolved, so she doesn’t have to see how Madge’s relationship with Guy, in terms of public interest, and press – completely obliterates Jacqui’s life with Guy. She’s the unknown anonymous 2nd wife, not the superstar.
No one curr bout her or the three kids she has with Guy, because they’ll never be Madonna’s kids.
It’s only tough to deal with if she’s a famewhre and narcissist. Judging by those oh so posed pics, she may be.
Or maybe she’s just tired of the drama and media circus?
That is what I think. I would be tired of it too! It is distracting to living your own life. This attention has put a spotlight on a relationship that is over. He has moved on and is happily married to someone else. I raised a rebellious teenage and their son is acting like most teenage boys act. The only difference is that his mop is a big (huge) celebrity. These same time of argument go on every day between separated couple and their children. It is not news worthy.
What? It’s totally possible she wants it to be resolved because she doesn’t like all the press and negative attention her husband is getting. The fact that I never even heard from her before this tells me she’s not a famewh*re.
Huh? Jacqui is just standing there. For narcissistic, famewhore posing, see Madonna.
When you fall in love with someone who has children,then you’re agreeing to the package deal.
I don’t think Rocco is rebellious, I think he has a mother who is a rolling stone. I think he’s craving stability,and his dad seems to give him that. I wonder if Rocco’s parents would consider boarding school? That would give him freedom from his mom, an education and some structure.
Right because his dad never travels for work, right? I would imagine a spoilt little brat like Rocco would hate boarding school
This story is ridiculous, People mag probably spoke to a Madonna source. I don’t think Rocco got bored, it was more a hassle and having a stable home life is more appealing. Kids don’t rebel over wanting a normal life, they rebel because they want a more exciting life. He was exposed to a crazy life and he was like, this is not what I want. Probably his personality is very different from his mom. There is too much drama in her life.
I assume Jacqui is taking Guy & Rocco’s side in all this, so she’s likely eager for the stress of the whole situation to be over.
Between Madonna and Guy, can you imagine the type of psycho-rant phone calls that are going on right now?
This! Being a part of legal matters is no fun, even when you know you are in the right. She probably wants it all settled so they can get back to normal, or back to the new normal anyway…
Why can’t Ritchie and Madonna resolve this thing in private instead of battling it out in the tabloids and social media? He’s a kid.
+100.
Because they need to get over themeselves ASAP, but apparently their massive ego are too important.
Yeah, I blame both of them. Madonna is….Madonna, but I think Guy is a piece of work, too.
I feel sorry for Rocco.
These people have managed to parent together for the last 15 years. What changed and what happens with their younger son? Does everyone go off to live with the Ritchies?
Jacqui has been posting passive aggressive messages on IG since Christmas.
Definitely one-uping Madonna on the traditional woman with a traditional family set up.
She’s not so put upon bystander caught in the cross-hairs of the super egos around her.
Interesting. Thanks for this. I’m baffled by why anybody thinks that the Ritchies are even offering the “traditional family set up”. “Stay at home” mum in this case just means girl aint got no job. It doesnt mean she is in any way a conventional stay at home mother. My bet is she spends her days at the tennis club and whatever else catered ladies of leisure get up to.
Rocco isnt fighting to stay there because “traditional family”. He wants to be there because he isnt getting along with mom (cant blame him) and the Ritchies will let him do as he likes.
Exactly Naya.
She has French nannies (pleural) she talked about in her most recent interview after her marriage. Her life is pretty stress free compared to most stay-at-home moms.
I think that is an interesting assumption. She has three small children; maybe she likes being a mother. In any event, you have no way of knowing how she spends her time, so why automatically assume the worst, most unkind thing about them?
How do you know how she spends her days?
I wouldn’t want to live with Madonna either. I agree Guy is probably no saint but his home and family is probably more normal and pleasant to be a part of.
I think the photos from this event and the one at the Haiti event are in stark contrast when it comes to David. I think he could be the next to say he wants to move in with Guy. Either way, something is going down and it is all speculation and gossip, but you have to feel a little empathy towards the parents and full on for the children.
It doesn’t seem like little David knows Guy very well. Have we ever seen pictures of him alone with Guy since the divorce?
Yes, he knows him well. He’s his dad. There’s photos of the family on outings when the boys visit, and one with David out with his dad alone walking home later after have a father/son night out.
And he visits his dad at the same time Rocco does, same summer weeks with the Ritchies, etc., except for the Great Escape I guess this last time.
Jacqui has said that Rocco and David are wonderful children and that Madonna and Guy have done a great job raising them.
@Tiffany No. There’s no stark contrast. He’s not smiling in this photo at the same event. http://cdn02.cdn.justjared.com/wp-content/uploads/headlines/2015/08/madonna-guy-ritchies-sons-are-all-grown-up.jpg
I am going by the ones I saw here.
I don’t think we should insinuate that David is unhappy based on nothing but photo interpretation. Hes a kid and you would hope hes happy and since nobody has said he has any problems at either his mum or dads, we should leave it at that.
Did you see Madonna’s instagram “tributes” to David Bowie? She effing hashtagged them with #rebelheart ¤”#%&#¤”¤!”¤!%”% IMO it’s plenty of proof that she’s first and foremost about MADONNA and I totally understand and hope for Rocco that he gets to live where HE wants to live.
I saw them today and thought they were a bit much too. Obviously she knew him but only Madonna would go over the top and unfortunately make it about herself and she has the cheek to also promote tour.
She did the same hashtag when she posted a picture of Iman.
Stop trying to make #rebelheart happen. It’s never going to happen.
I haven’t seen them, but really?! Everything, everything has “rebel heart” affixed to it? Even when it’s about David Bowie, following his death? That’s heinously selfish and rude. Nothing slows Madonna down. Amazing that she doesn’t see anything inappropriate about that.
She sang Rebel, Rebel (yes I’m rolling my eyes right now) as a tribute to Bowie at her concert last night and then collapsed afterwards, WTF, talk about trying to bring attention to yourself. I’m done with her and this is coming from someone who was a Madonna loving teen in the 80’s.
I just read the same article about her stunt queening over David Bowie’s death. The #rebelheart on her tweet about his death disgusted me, and this stunt is just too much. Hey Madge, guess what? It’s not about you.
As for Rocco, RUN.
Yeah, so … is it so hard to enroll a kid in school in London? I think not. Especially if you have money.
Both camps need a HEAVY dose of STFU. This is the WORST thing to happen in a divorce with teenagers in my opinion! My goodness, what is going on that this is all being brought to the public attention?? It’s atrocious.
I don’t mean to be all pearl clutching, but this is a legit disaster and it sickens me to think of how it’s being played out at home.
One parent needs to grow up and get a lid on this, stat!
I’m no Madonna fan, but I’m really surprised she’s let let this become so public. If there was anything I liked about her, it was that she seemed to be a conscientious parent. And with a teen involved maybe it woulda been wiser to be wayyyy more private, just cuz of the drama and histrionics that tend to be involved. “Shame!” (sound the bell)
This poor kid. I just hope everything works out in his favor in the end.
If the kid wants to live with his father full-time, then let him. He’s old enough to decide. As usual, it’s ALL ABOUT Madonna and what she wants.
I love this new PR strategy by Guy Ritchie’s team. It’s using Madonna’s entire #rebelheart campaign against her by casting Rocco as the rebel and Madonna as the oppressor. Well played, Mr. Ritchie.
As a mom of several teenage boys, I can completely understand why Rocco prefers a settled life in one place with his Dad. However, Guy and his wife REALLY REALLY NEED to take some lessons from the Daniel Giersch playbook and maintain a completely low profile, no comment position other than to affirm that he fully supports Madonna’s relationship as his mother, while also supporting Rocco’s right to privacy and best interests.
this kind of stuff needs cooperation from both camps, they should think to Rocco: what’s the best for him and how to make it work, there’s no place for their narcissisitc needs.
All i got from this is that Rocco is probably a chip of the old block whereas temperament is concerned. Madonna that is
Also, “crazy” madonna is consistently described as the “old school parent vs Guys more laidback ways, so naturally if he is rebellious he is going to come to blows with the parent that places more restrictions on him. This doesnt necessarily reflect badly on Madonna in my book its just the way teenagers work.
I still think Guy should have told Rocco to go home over the holidays till they could work something out, a new custody arrangement in a proper way. And madonna has to let him go live with Guy however painful that may be, its the right thing to do if he is so set on it.
The antics with Sean Penn? well you always got the sense that Sean was her big love. This doesnt surprise me as they remained friends.
Maybe she’s anxious for the custody dispute to be sorted out because she knows this isn’t good for Rocco? I mean, that’s what most people here think; why not her too?
I hope that Madonna’s dad is having a chuckle over the karma of this situation. Because, by all accounts, Madonna was a difficult child to raise. You know, due to her #RebelHeart and all.
The longer it goes on, the more Madonna will keep promoting her #RebelHeart or whatever and the more it’ll seem as if she can’t keep separate the issue of Rocco and her business. Because that’s who she seems to be.
If she were smart, she’d just let Rocco live with Guy instead of fighting this. The sooner it’s over, the sooner Rocco can start school in the UK and feel more stabilized by knowing what his future will be. For it to be all up in the air right now isn’t doing Rocco any good. It shouldn’t be about what Madonna and Guy wants. It should be about what’s good for Rocco and at 15 years old, he should be given that choice, whether or not he might change his mind in a few months.
For someone who wants to be seen as a #Rebel, Madonna’s actions seem to prove it otherwise.
I dont’ get it. If Guy thinks Rocco is just being rebellious, why is fighting for custody? Why the recent headlines about “going to war over custody”, etc. Makes no sense to me.
Gotta repeat myself that I don’t think there’s anything normal about being Madonna’s kid and I think he deserves to live with whichever parent gives him what he needs right now and sorry, but that aint Madonna.
Also, somebody needs to tell Guy’s new wife to stop posing so hard, especially in family pics with the kids. She looks ridiculously try hard.
They really need to quit with this whole Madonna is “an old-school parent” BS. Old school parents aren’t posting IG’s with their kids calling them “my Ninja” while wearing a grill. Give us a small break. She ran away from her “old school” father so save that noise.
Atrocious but expected for a narcissist like Madge to stunt queen (love the term) David Bowie’s death.
He had an incredible artistic career musically. His evolution as an artist is both brilliant and organic, not a marketing ploy. His work incredibly challenged our ideas about gender and sexual fluidity. His creative genius is incomparable.
Love the comments. Re: Madge’s commitment to her children’s well-being, etc. research visitation arrangements with the families of Mercy James and David Gandy. Mercy’s grandmother has NEVER seen her since the adoption. Think David’s dad gets to see them every few years. She has been back to Malawi and does not let either child see their families even then.
If your teenager adores you and wants to live with you, you’re doing something wrong. That was my best takeaway from this similar experience my son and I went through recently. What she’s going through is a well worn road. I care because it happens to so many good moms. Also, my impression of her is limited to very early days when we shared a vocal coach. She drove a VW Rabbit and was soft spoken and, yes, sweet. In my case the “dad” was only interested in child support, so at the most vulnerable teen-boy age, he’d lure our son to him by having no rules or boundaries. Then swiftly sued me for child support for the days he’d physically come and take him away from my home (on my custody time) when our son would complain to him about things like not being allowed media-game time until homework was done, withheld allowance if school assignments weren’t done, etc. (most teens will push that boundary, and depending on how it’s handled, will end or drag on). After 2 years of legal haranguing (I couldn’t afford a lawyer so I did my best), the judge finally said, no, and the “dad” immediately went back to showing no interest whatsoever in our son. Doesn’t even want him there since that day, as there’s no possible money grab out of it. Ultimately, our son is the one who paid for this by going from an A & B student to completely failing an entire year (from not doing the work or even showing up for school for periods of time). His “dad” didn’t care to notice or answer to the school or teachers who were calling me about it (at the time they only knew me, as I was solely paying for it and the only one ever to show for p-t conferences and such). It was helpful that I kept school records. One teacher even wrote a letter. If her son is doing as well in the London school, that’s a different element to the story, and she may want to consider letting her son stay for a time. Her son will ultimately recognize that the parent who fell on their sword and “wore the black hat” is someone who cared deeply. She’s made her feelings known, and that’s perhaps enough for now. My son is now 19 and is just now starting to understand what happened clearly, as he matures and gains hindsight and faces his dad now not making any time for him or caring one lick, just as before the lawsuit days. Being used as a pawn by a parent is devastating, and he’s processing that pain now in tandem to his maturity and self awareness. I would advise her to assess any immediate damage being done by attending school in London, and if there’s nothing significant, then just keep communication open, and be there for him with a good therapist lined up when he returns. I don’t know if this helps anyone reading, but there it is.
Well said and well written!
Definitely would agree with one of the first commenters that in a way this is not news…for those who have teenagers or are divorced with teens or had lived with someone who had teens…(the latter in my case). I also think that the teenage brain for boys truly is not fully developed …so whatever it is the boy did..its too bad he will now be forever labeled as spoiled or forever known for this one impulsive decision…No matter what..my sense is being in the UK, being in a family that kind of stays in one place, being with his father is a refuge for the kid..probably a temporary one. I think he will be forever “famous” … and later on may actually find his way in the world and become someone….if you read back a week about David Bowie’s sons’ comments about how his father was when they were young (and from a divorced family) he said something like my Dad always helped us become the person that we wanted to be..or something like that. Right now, the boy is now famous for doing really nothing out of the ordinary for a teenager from a broken home….I hope that he can be something more than this one day. I am sure he will be (if he doesn’t get lost in the shuffle of celebrity. Kind of a scary place for someone his age.)