Madonna and Guy Ritchie 'reach deal in custody dispute over son Rocco'

Court dispute began when Rocco left singer's world tour to stay with his father in London

Marrying up: Madonna and Guy Ritchie The multimillionaire singer has working-class roots, unlike her film director ex-husband Ritchie, whose ancestors include baronets (Getty Images)

Madonna and Guy Ritchie have reportedly reached a deal in their custody battle over 16-year-old son Rocco just before they were due to return to court.

Court documents obtained by TMZ reveal the couple were due to appear in a New York court on Wednesday but resolved their difference ‘hours before”.

Madonna, 58, and Ritchie, 47, had been locked in a bitter dispute since the end of last year when Rocco left his mother’s world tour to stay with his father.

He remained in London while the case proceed through US and British courts, accompanied by occasional public outbursts.

In March, the parents were rebuked by Judge Deborah Kaplan for dragging their teenage son through the courts and she urged them to settle the matter as quickly as possible.

“Frankly, both parties here have chosen to live their lives in a very public way, and may welcome the exposure, but the child has not,” she said at the time.

The terms of their agreement are confidential but earlier reports suggested any settlement would see Rocco return to London for schooling, with regular visits from his mother.

The couple filed for divorce in 2008 after eight years of marriage and agreed to share custody of their children - Rocco and David Banda, adopted from Malawi.

The singer also has a daughter Lourdes from a previous relationship with the actor Carlos Leon and in 2009 adopted Mercy, a Malawian girl who is now 10.