Inside Madonna's relationship with son Rocco Ritchie after tense custody battle

Madonna's son Rocco Ritchie celebrates his 24th birthday on August 11 – and he's achieved a lot for himself over the last few years.

Rocco has turned his passion for art into a career and is now a painter after studying at Central Saint Martins in London before transferring to the Royal Drawing School.

In April, he unveiled his latest collection titled "Pack A Punch," inspired by Muay Thai fighters, at the Miami Design District and he was supported by his very famous mom and siblings.

While Madonna and Rocco have a close relationship now, it was reportedly fractured following her divorce from Guy Ritchie in 2008.

Custody battle

In 2015, Rocco was traveling with his mom on her Rebel Heart Tour, but their relationship reportedly grew tense because he wanted to attend a traditional school, so he left the tour to move in with his dad in London.

By the end of the year, Madonna and Guy entered into a custody battle over where Rocco would live, with the singer filing legal proceedings, alleging Rocco had been illegally retained in the UK after visiting his dad.

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Madonna spent that Christmas in New York with her other children while Rocco remained in the UK with his dad.

The strain Rocco's absence had on Madonna was evident and in March 2016, she dedicated a rendition of "La Vie en Rose" to him during a performance in Auckland, New Zealand.

"There's no love stronger than a mother for her son, and if I talk about him too much, I'm going to cry," she told the crowd. "I hope he hears this somewhere and he knows how much I miss him."

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During this time, Rocco appeared on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show" but shared little details about his fractured relationship with his mom.

"She's a good mother. Yes," Rocco said. "That's all I have to say. She's very strict but in a good way."

Madonna and Guy eventually settled the custody case, and it was decided that Rocco would stay in the UK with his father and attend school.

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Rocco later admitted that residing in London "had a huge effect on me".

"It was the perfect moment; I was shifting gears from a teenage boy to a young man and it pushed me to focus on my passion but to also get out of my comfort zone," he told Vogue Hong Kong .

Close bond with Madonna

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Following their reconciliation, Madonna and Rocco share a close bond and she is very supportive of his work.

Following his exhibition in Miami, Madonna shared her pride over her son's achievements in a gushing Instagram post. "So happy to have the night off to enjoy my son Rocco's latest collection of paintings called 'Pack A Punch' inspired by Muay Thai fighters. @miamidesigndistrict," she shared with her followers.

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For his 23rd birthday last year, Madonna paid a heartfelt tribute to Rocco, writing on Instagram: "Happy Birthday Dearest Rocco……. From the day you were conceived, Life with You Has been an adventure.

"From Your Pre Mature Birth to your love of Skate Boarding, Dirt Bikes. Break Dancing, Parkour, Graffiti and all Adrenaline Provoking activities! You have made me worry— possibly more than any other person on the planet."

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She added: "Nothing gives me more Joy than to watch you grow as an artist!"

Rocco is equally supportive of his mom and in October last year, he joined her on stage in Stockholm, Sweden, during her Celebration Tour.