Madonna Has Mercy

A little over a week after Madonna won custody of four-year-old Mercy James, a nanny was sent to Malawi via private jet to pick her up. The two arrived in London’s Heathrow airport on Saturday where Mercy was immediately whisked away to meet her new mother and siblings, Lourdes, 12, Rocco, 8, and David, 3, at a local Kabbalah center for a meeting. I realize the tot got to fly first class, but even so, a flight from Malawi to London is no small deal for a kid — you’d think she could at least get a bath and nap first before hitting the prayer beads. The family — including Guy Ritchie, who is taking sons, Rocco and David, to his place for a bit while Mercy settles in — spent an hour at the center before heading back to Madonna’s London home (wonder when/if they’ll be heading to New York?).

The adoption, of course, is not without controversy (we’re talking about Madonna, after all). James Kambewa, Mercy’s biological father, who tried to regain custody of his daughter, said: “My Mercy is gone. Madonna has used her money and power but my blood lives in Mercy for ever and ever. There is nothing I can do now.” Experts have criticized how quickly Madonna dragged Mercy to the Kabbalah center, saying she needs time to adjust. They also worry a “new life in the limelight of Madonna’s family will prove to be a big ‘culture shock’ to the girl from a Malawian orphanage.” Surely, the “culture shock” will be softened a bit by the lap of luxury little Mercy will be lying in for the rest of her life. Something tells me she’d going to be just fine. [via Daily Mail]