Madonna applies to adopt two children

The star previously adopted two children from Malawi with ex-husband Guy Ritchie

Pop star Madonna has applied to adopt two more children in Malawi.

The 58-year-old appeared in court in the Malawian capital Lilongwe to make the application.

She previously adopted two children from the African country: David Banda in 2006 and Mercy James in 2009.

The star has two other children – Lourdes and Rocco – from previous relationships. Last year saw her involved in a custody dispute over Rocco with ex-husband Guy Ritchie.

She eventually lost the case, with the 16-year-old moving to London to live with his father.

Charity work

Madonna has yet to comment on her attempts to adopt two further children, but a government spokesman confirmed the singer had appeared in High Court on Wednesday.

Court spokesman Mlenga Mvula said the star would have to wait a week before hearing the court’s decision.

Madonna’s relationship with Malawi dates back to 2006, when she established the Raising Malawi charity, with the goal of improving children’s lives.

She initially planned to build a $15m (£12m) girls’ academy, but later changed strategy, and used the money to fund a number of schools.

The charity also provides scholarships to female students, and is currently building the country’s first paediatric intensive care unit at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, in Blantyre.

Madonna visited the project last summer, and took David and Mercy to visit the orphanages where they lived before being adopted.

BBC