Not so fast! Madonna was hit with a series of “uncomfortable questions” by a judge before she was granted permission to adopt her 4-year-old twin girls from Malawi, the presiding judge said in court documents obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday, February 8.
“The petitioner is a professional performer and I guarded myself against the danger of her merely reciting a well-rehearsed speech by asking her some rather uncomfortable questions to which she gave very candid answers,” Judge Fiona Mwale said in her ruling, explaining her reasons for approving the adoption.
After pressing Madonna, 58, to explain her intentions in adding two more little ones to her brood of four, Judge Mwale said she was satisfied that the girls would be in good hands with the Material Girl.
“There is no doubt that the petitioner can offer the infants not only the best education money can buy, but also guidance with a high likelihood of ensuring that the two infants grow to be self-sufficient adults,” Judge Mwale said, adding that she is satisfied that Madonna “is motivated by her desire to offer a home, love, protection and guidance to the infants.”
In the court documents, Judge Mwale addressed prior controversies surrounding Madonna’s adoptions in Malawi. “In determining her motives, I questioned the petitioner at length about the impact of her decision which could be construed as robbing Malawi of its most precious resource, its children,” the judge wrote.
As previously reported, Madonna filed for adoption in High Court in Malawi on January 25 but tried to keep the process under wraps until a final decision was made. (The Queen of Pop issued a statement denying her adoption to Us Weekly that same day, claiming that she was in Malawi “to check on the children’s hospital in Blantyre.”) According to the AP, she has already raised $7.5 million for a pediatric surgery ward at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, which is set to open early next year.
Madonna previously adopted son David and daughter Mercy James, both 11, from Malawi in 2008 and 2009, respectively. She is also mom to daughter Lourdes, 20, whom she shares with ex Carlos Leon, and son Rocco, 16, whom she shares with ex-husband Guy Ritchie.
Madonna’s twin girls will retain their birth names as a part of an effort to preserve their identity as Malawian nationals, the court documents said, and their father was at the January 25 court hearing with Madonna. (The twins’ mother died within a week of childbirth due to health complications.)
On Wednesday, February 8, Madonna took to social media to share the happy news. “I can officially confirm I have completed the process of adopting twin sisters from Malawi and am overjoyed that they are now part of our family,” she captioned an image of herself walking between the two little girls. “I am deeply grateful to all those in Malawi who helped make this possible, and I ask the media please to respect our privacy during this transitional time. 🙏🏻 Thank you also to my friends, family and my very large team for all your support and Love!”
