Madonna and Guy Ritchie continue to feud over the custody of their son Rocco, who will remain in the U.K. with his father. A judge ruled on Wednesday that the 15-year-old will stay in London where he is enrolled in a school chosen in agreement by his parents, one of the only compromises they have settled on in the contentious battle.
New York Supreme Court judge Deborah Kaplan ordered Rocco to return home to the U.S. to spend the holidays with Madonna in Manhattan, but her son still refused. The judge ultimately wants the parents, who were represented in court by their attorneys, to come to an agreement outside of court, which almost happened but dissolved at the last minute.
"I'm encouraging the parents to continue to resolve this matter in the best way possible for the child to take this tremendous pressure off their son," the judge said.
Madonna and Ritchie's attorneys along with Rocco's appointed court-appointed lawyer have agreed it's best to keep the teenager out of the spotlight as much as possible during the proceedings. The judge did commend the parents for the "time and effort" they put into finding a good school for their child.
Rocco's attorney stated in court that the public custody battle has been stressful on the boy. "He is going to school now, which is a great step forward, and the parents should be commended that they were able to reach this decision... He's enjoying himself there; he's having a good educational experience; the school seems to be a great fit for him," the attorney said.
Madonna and Rocco finalized their divorce in 2008 after eight years of marriage. The custody battle began three months ago when Rocco decided to live with Ritchie after touring with Madonna on her Rebel Heart tour. He reportedly preferred his father's more laid-back parenting style and missed his U.K.-based friends.
Madonna visited Rocco in London last month in hopes of convincing him to move back home, but was unsuccessful. A few days later, photos showed him allegedly smoking cigarettes with friends at a local London skate park.
"This is exactly what Madonna has been afraid of," a source told People. "He needs guidance and direction from his father."
