Madonna's 6 Children: All About Lourdes, Rocco, David, Mercy, Stella and Estere

Mar. 15, 2025

Madonna and her kids.Photo: Madonna Instagram

Madonnais crazy for her six kids!

The pop icon welcomed her first child,Lourdes, in 1996 and grew her brood with the additions ofRocco,David,Mercyand twinsStella and Estere.

In 2017, Madonnaappeared on the cover of PEOPLEand opened up about her life at home with her children and her emotional adoption journey.

“Sometimes I would just close my eyes and just think, ‘Why isn’t my kitchen filled with dancing children?’ There’s so many children that need a home,” shesaid. “I thought, ‘What am I waiting for? Just do it.’ "

Madonna Instagram

Madonna admits that being amother of sixisn’t always easy. The singer toldVanity Fairin January 2023 that motherhood “has been the most difficult, the hardest battle,” adding, “Today I am still struggling to understand how to be a mother and do my job.”

“Because, whoever you are, having children and raising them is a work of art,” she continued. “And no one gives you a manual. You have to learn from mistakes. It is a profession that requires a lot of time. And it is exhausting because there is never rest.”

Madonna was hospitalized for a “serious bacterial infection” in June 2023.

“As a mother, you can really get caught up in the needs of your children and the seemingly endless giving,” she wrote onInstagram. “But when the chips were down, my children really showed up for me. I saw a side to them I had never seen before. It made all the difference.”

After making a full recovery, Madonnalaunched her Celebration Tourin October 2023. Opening night took place in London and Lourdes, Mercy, David and the twins made an appearance on stage in support of their mom.

Keep scrolling to get to know all of Madonna’s beloved kids.

Lourdes, 28

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP

Madonna and her then-boyfriend, fitness trainerCarlos Leon, welcomed Lourdes Leon on Oct. 14, 1996, in Los Angeles. From the beginning, Madonna’s eldest was the light of her life. Madonna wrote “Little Star,” a song on her 1998 Grammy-winning albumRay of Light,for her firstborn.

Now asuccessful fashion modelin her own right, Lourdes has worked forRihanna’sSavage x Fentyline, Burberry,Marc Jacobs, Swarovski and Mugler, and has been featured inVogueandVanity Fair.

She’s alsomodeled for the clothing brand Dion Lee. In August 2023, the company released a series of striking images of Lourdes — she was nearly nude and promoting the brand’s new handbag collection.

While she admits her famous mom was “a control freak” when she was a kid, she has since come to admire “how empowering to other women and ahead of her time she has always been.”

“I didn’t fully comprehend that until I realized the importance of empowerment and what it means to be a woman,” she toldInterview Magazinein 2021. “She’s probably the hardest worker I’ve ever seen. I didn’t inherit that, unfortunately. I inherited her control issues, but not her work ethic!”

In August 2022, Lourdes followed in her mom’s footsteps with the release of herdebut single"Lock&Key.”

She finished the post with, “Thank you for choosing me to be your mother! You saved me! Happy Birthday Little Star! ⭐️⭐️⭐️.”

Rocco, 24

Julien Hekimian/Getty

After splitting from Carlos Leon in May 1997, Madonna began dating directorGuy Ritchiein 1998. Their son Rocco Ritchie was born in L.A. on Aug. 11, 2000, and waschristened in Scotlandat Dornoch Cathedral in December 2000. Madonna and Ritchie tied the knot the next day at Skibo Castle, though the couple laterdivorced in 2008.

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

David, 19

David Banda was born in Malawi on Sept. 24, 2005.

Madonna founded her charitable organizationRaising Malawiin 2006, and in October of that year, she took a humanitarian trip to the country. While visiting, she and Ritchiedecided to adopt1-year-old David fromHome of Hope, an orphanage in the capital city of Lilongwe.

The couplefaced legal repercussionsbecause Malawi requires adoptive parents to live in the country for at least 18 months to become a resident, and residency is a prerequisite to legal adoption. The adoption was finally approved on May 28, 2008.

Cassy Athena/Getty

In 2019, Madonnaexplained her special connectionwith David toBritish Vogue. “He’s] the one I have the most in common with,” she said. “I feel like he gets me; he has more of my DNA than any of my children so far.”

As he’s grown, David has often been included in Madonna’s performances, like when he joined her on stage at her New York CityPride variety showin June 2022, showing off some dance moves and comedy.

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Madonna also praised her son’s fashion prowess during an appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallonin August 2022.

“He can put on any outfit and look swag as you know what,” she told Fallon of David. “It’s really irritating. He wears my clothes and looks better in them. He can even wear a dress and look butch.”

TheMaterial Girlsinger pulled out all the stops for David’s18th birthday bash, which included lots of dancing and a cake with his face on it.

“You are growing into a truly remarkable human being! We are all so proud of you! You light up like the brightest star,” Madonna wrote on Instagram.

“One of the best experiences on this tour. Having the chance tosit in Prince’s studioand play on his stage. A true dream come true 💟💟💟,” he wrote.

Mercy, 19

madonna/instagram

Chifundo “Mercy” James was born in Malawi on Jan. 22, 2006. In 2008, Madonna settled her divorce from Ritchie, and in May 2009,applied to adopt Mercyas a single mother from an orphanage in Blantyre, Malawi. The High Court initially rejected her application, but she was later approved to adopt Mercy on June 12, 2009.

AMOS GUMULIRA/AFP

In July 2017, Madonna opened theMercy James Institute for Pediatric Surgery and Intensive Care, the first pediatric surgery and intensive care center in Malawi.

Mercy celebrated her 16th birthday in January 2022 atSix Flags Magic Mountainand aTupac Shakur exhibit. “Happy Birthday Chifundo Mercy James,“Madonna wroteon Instagram. “The kindest, most thoughtful, most magical girl on the planet! There is no one like you!”

In January 2023, Madonna celebratedMercy’s 17th birthdaywith two family dinners — one at a fancy restaurant and one at home.

“Happy birthday Chifundo,” the songstress wrote on Instagram. “We love you!!”

Stella and Estere, 12

Twins Stella and Estere were born in Malawi on Aug. 24, 2012. Madonna adopted her youngest daughters when they were 5 in February 2017.

“It’s like they were always here,” theSwept Awaystartold PEOPLE. “It didn’t take long for them to get acclimated.”

“And they’ve learned, in time, that I’m their mother and nothing is going to change that,” she added.

As the girls have grown, they’ve discovered their passions and talents. Madonna has shown off Stella’spiano skills; both girls aretalented dancerslike their older brother.

When the twins turned 10 in August 2022, the “Material Girl” singercelebrated them with a sweet slideshowof photos and videos on Instagram. “Happy birthday Estere and Stella Mwale! 💖💖 You both bring so much Love- Laughter and Light ✨✨ into all of our lives!! 💕💕,” she captioned thepost.

Madonna also threw the girls anepic wig partyto celebrate the occasion. The proud mom shared snaps from the event on Instagram, including a photo of the twins posing with their siblings Mercy and David while wearing festive wigs.

Stella and Esteregraduated from elementary schoolin June 2023.

“2 Kweens!!!! Happy Graduation!” Madonna wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the twins each wearing a blue cap and gown.

source: people.com