In what was expected to be 2 routine paper exercises, Madonna had intended to finalise her divorce from Guy Ritchie, and to complete the adoption of Chifundo "Mercy" James.
However, in what is being described by her spokesman as an "embarrassing administrative blunder by her international legal team", Madonna actually adopted the 40 year old Guy Ritchie, and married the 3 year old Chifundo James.
Apart from the significant embarrassment that this will cause the pop star, she does now face a bigger problem. As she had not finalised the divorce from Ritchie, she is technically now a bigamist.
Bigamy is heavily frowned upon in Malawi and she is now likely to face the death penalty for a combination of bigamy and marrying a 3 year old.
Guy Ritchie refused to comment on his new mother.
