Who Are Estere Ciccone & Her Sister Stella: Both of Them Are Madonna's Adopted Kids

Madonna's kids are a vastly diverse bunch. Four of her six children are Malawian natives, and the other two are from two different relationships. Here are the facts about her youngest children.

Estere Ciccone and her sister Stella Ciccone are the adoptive twins of the "Material Girl" songstress Madonna. The twins were adopted as part of her non-profit organization, Raising Malawi, and are a creative duo with lovely moments shared on their joint Instagram page.

Before their adoption, Madonna was already a mother of four. She had welcomed her biological children, Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon and Rocco Ritchie, from two different relationships in the late 1990s. Gaining custody of her adoptive children, especially Mercy James, brought many complications she was determined to overcome.

Madonna Adopted Twins Estere Ciccone and Stella in 2017 When They Were Four

Madonna has a longstanding connection with the people and children of Malawi. In 2006 and 2009, she adopted David Banda and Mercy James, respectively; they hail from Malawi. David was four years old at the time of adoption, and Mercy, who she met at a Home in Blantyre, is a year younger than David.

Home of Hope orphanage was Estere and Stella's home before the pop star adopted them in February 2017. Their new family would comprise two adopted children, a pop star, and her two biological kids. She adopted the twins after nearly three years of travel between the States and Malawi.

The teenage adoptees, David and Mercy, were excited but displayed feelings of uneasiness about sharing their foster mother with two more children. Madonna clarified that this feeling within them was not jealousy but rather an adjustment. "It's like they were always here," Madonna said about the twins seven months into their stay.

The transition to adopting Estere and Stella could have been smoother than it turned out to be. Many Malawian locals were not pleased with the law-bending treatment that the pop star received from the local government, as there are laws preventing foreigners from adopting children to take them overseas.

Madonna was in the presence of the twins' biological father during the court hearing that granted her custody. The decision was based on the twins getting the right living conditions which a representative would travel to observe and conclusively approve.

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 Estere and Stella. She would ask herself why her kitchen wasn't filled with dancing children and added that so many children needed a home.

The twins have a shared Instagram account on which fans of Madonna and her family can see them growing up. Their account, cicconetwins, shows their wonderful family moments, celebrates Africans and blackness, and sometimes leans into political conversations, like the 2020 election.

The twins exude a lot of creativity and artistic ability with their beautiful outfits, love for dancing and drawing, and unique freestyle sessions, like the Instagram post below.

Estere and Stella Ciccone Are Not Madonna's Only Adopted Kids

Yohane Banda, the birth father of David, had given Madonna the go-ahead to adopt his son in 2006. Three years later, the singer gained custody of her second adoptive child, Mercy, who she met shortly after David.

The road to gaining custody of Mercy was filled with obstacles that the relentless Madonna overcame. She went up against the high court of Malawi, fighting for a satisfying reason to diminish her pursuit of adopting Mercy. The teenagers suffered from threatening illnesses such as malaria and pneumonia while in Malawi.

Madonna had made it her mission to give them a healthy and wholesome life. When speaking about Stella Ciccone, Madonna said she brings "Love, laughter and light" into her life. Brad Pitt is another American entertainer who adopted an African child; click here to read more about his diverse family.