Estere Ciccone is the adoptive daughter of the famous singer Madonna Ciccone. Madonna is an American singer, songwriter, and actress dubbed the “Queen of Pop.” Aside from her musical prowess, the “Material Girl” singer is renowned for her big heart that has championed many charitable causes, including adopting abandoned children from African orphanages.
Estere and her twin sister, Stella, got adopted from Mchinji Orphanage, a Malawian children’s home, in 2017. However, the girls’ adoption raised a lot of dust after their biological father, Adam Mwale, said he didn’t know it was a permanent arrangement. Although the dust settled soon after the singer’s lawyers accused him of neglect, Madonna’s twin daughters have garnered media attention.
Who Is Estere Ciccone?
Estere Ciccone is one of Madonna’s adopted twin daughters. She was born to her parents, Adam Mwale, a peasant farmer, and Patricia Mwale, in Malawi on August 24, 2012. Hence, she is a Malawian citizen by birth. Born Estere Mwale, the now-famous celebrity kid’s biological father abandoned his newborn twins at a local orphanage, Mchinji, and tied the knot with another woman.
Who Is Estere Ciccone’s Biological Mother?
Estere’s mother is Patricia Mwale. According to reports, she was giving birth in one of the local hospitals in her hometown when she ran into complications. Patricia reportedly couldn’t give birth naturally and resorted to a caesarian section. However, after delivering her twins, Estere Ciccone and Stella, things worsened as she started bleeding profusely.
The excessive bleeding proved difficult for the medics to stop, as the facility had limited qualified health workers to care for such cases. Unfortunately, Patricia continued to bleed until life slipped out of her. Following her death, Estere Ciccone’s father, Adam, took his twins to the orphanage, where he claimed to be visiting them daily.
When Did Madonna Adopt Her Twin Daughters?
Madonna has a longstanding connection with the people and children of Malawi. Consequently, one of her philanthropic escapades across the country led her to Estere Ciccone and her twin sister. Home of Hope orphanage was Estere and Stella’s home before the pop star adopted them in February 2017 as part of her non-profit organization, Raising Malawi.
When the adoption rumors started making the rounds, the famous singer denied having such plans. Since Madonna has many philanthropic projects in Malawi, she usually visits the country without raising eyebrows. However, she adopted Estere Ciccone and Stella after nearly three years of travel between the United States and Malawi.
While the adoption could have been smoother than it was, many Malawian locals were not pleased with the law-bending treatment that the pop star received from the local government, as laws prevent foreigners from adopting children to take them overseas. Similarly, the twins’ father, Adam, revealed in an interview that he didn’t realize that Madonna was taking his daughters away permanently.
In addition, Adam denied consenting to a permanent arrangement with the pop star. According to him, he first met Madonna’s representatives, who told him that the singer would love to take his twins to the United States, put them through school, and bring them back to Malawi. He added that he consented because he saw it as a beautiful opportunity for Estere and Stella Ciccone.
Following the allegations, there was a court hearing. Madonna was in the presence of the twins’ biological father during the court hearing that granted her custody. Madonna’s lawyer, Titus Mvalo, explained that she had demonstrated passion for Malawi and her children over the years. Therefore, the court could not find sound reasoning to stop her from adopting the twins.
How Many Siblings Does Estere Ciccone Have?
Estere Ciccone has a total of five known siblings. While she may have siblings besides her twin from her birth family, their identities are unknown. However, in her adoptive home, she has four siblings. While two are Madonna’s biological children, the other two were adopted.
First is Lourdes Ciccone Leon, the first child of the famous pop star she had from her relationship with actor and personal trainer Carlos Leon. After Lourdes comes Madonna’s second biological child, Rocco Ritchie, who she had from her marriage to Guy Ritchie. Rocco is four years younger than Lourdes.
Next is Madonna’s first adoptive child, David. Like Estere Ciccone, David hails from Malawi. He came into the singer’s family in 2006 when he was barely a year old. The last of Estere’s adoptive siblings is Mercy James, also from Malawi. Mercy’s adoption also came with obstacles and resistance.
However, the pop singer gained custody of her three years after adopting David. Last is Estere Ciccone’s identical twin sister, Stella Ciccone. The sisters share a close bond and usually appear in public together.
Like Estere Ciccone, another adopted child who has garnered media attention is Sandra Bullock’s first adopted child, Louis Bardo Bullock.
