Like many other celebrity kids in the world, it would’ve been easy for Rocco Ritchie, Madonna and Guy Ritchie‘s oldest son, to enjoy the limelight and embrace all the perks that come along with being a so-called “nepo baby.” Instead, however, the 23-year-old decided to move away from the limelight, focus on his passions, go to college, and pursue a fascinating career that none of us could’ve predicted.
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That’s right, when Rocco was just a teenager he decided to stop joining his mother on tour when, moved in with his father in London and has since dedicated himself to becoming a painter. Talk about impressive!
To find out more about Rocco’s surprising life, scroll below!
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When Was Rocco Born?
Image Credit: Antony Jones/UK Press/Newsmakers Rocco Ritchie was born n August 11, 2000, in Los Angeles, California. He was the first son of Madonna and her ex-husband Guy Ritchie. Pictured here is the three of them at Rocco’s baptism on Dec. 21, 2000, in Scotland.
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Where Was He Raised?
Image Credit: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images Given that his mother is American and his father is English, Rocco divided his time growing up between in New York, Los Angeles and London.
When he was 14 years old, however, Madonna and Guy, who had gotten divorced in 2008, began a custody battle over where Rocco would live. According to several reports, it all began when tensions between Rocco and the “Like a Virgin” singer heightened during her Rebel Heart Tour leading Rocco to quit touring and move in with his father.
“She’s a good mother. Yes,” Rocco said in the Ellen DeGeneres Show, per Mirror. “That’s all I have to say. She’s very strict but in a good way.”
The case, which only finally settled in 2020, concluded that Rocco should continue living in London with his dad, People reports.
“Moving to London had a huge effect on me,” he told Vogue Hong Kong. “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.”
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Did Rocco Go to College?
Image Credit: Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images for Luigi & Iango After graduating high school in the U.K., Rocco pursued his passion for art and enrolled at the notorious art school Central Saint Martins in London. Eventually, Rocco transferred to the Royal Drawing School.
“It certainly helped growing up in a house that was passionate about art and culture,” he told Vogue Hong Kong. “Their shared fascination eventually piqued my interest and since I can remember I’ve always been surrounded by it.”
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What Does Rocco Do Now?
Image Credit: Julien Hekimian/Getty Images As you might have guessed from the previous slide, Rocco became an artist after graduation, a painter to be exact. Initially, Rocco shared his work under a pseudonym, Rhed, but has since revealed his true identity.
“Rhed is just a name. The only real meaning and importance of that were so my life and my career weren’t confusing each other, especially at a point where I haven’t earned the title yet,” Rocco explained to Vogue Honk Kong. “It’s not that I don’t feel proud to be who I am, on the contrary, I couldn’t be prouder of my parents and what they’ve achieved and in turn taught me. I just needed enough time to develop and experience my own lessons just like they did, without the extreme public judgment. Rhed was a mask until it wasn’t.”
“The process behind my work is constantly changing because I’m constantly learning,” he told the outlet. “I figured I’d embrace my inconsistencies rather than resent them.”
In addition to painting, Rocco co-founded his own gallery, Maison Rhed, with two friends in West London. In May of 2022, the gallery saw its very first exhibition.
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Is He Close With His Siblings?
Image Credit: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images Despite the custody battle drama, it seems like Rocco has been close with his many siblings over the years.
Together Madonna and Guy only welcomed one other kid together, their now 18-year-old adopted son David Banda. On Madonna’s side, Rocco has four more siblings, including his older sister Lourdes and his adopted younger sisters. On his father’s side, Guy welcomed three kids with his second wife Jacqui Ainsley.
In September, for example, Rocco showed off his close bond with half-sister Lourdes Leon as they attended the Saint Laurent’s spring 2024 womenswear show together during Paris Fashion Week (pictured above).
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Is He Still Close With Madona?
Image Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images While Rocco and Madonna may have hit a rough patch when he decided to permanently move to the U.K., the two have reportedly reconciled and have been close in the past few years.
In August, the singer even gave Rocco a sweet shoutout on Instagram for his 23rd birthday. “Happy Birthday Dearest Rocco……. From the day you were conceived, Life with You Has been an adventure,” Madonna wrote. “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.”
“Nothing gives me more Joy then to watch you grow as an artist!” she continued.
Most recently, Rocco joined his mother onstage during her Celebration Tour in Stockholm, Sweden, Hello! reports. Looks like these two have truly buried the hatchet!
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Is He Dating Anyone?
Image Credit: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images In October, Rocco, who had been previously linked to DJ Kim Turnbull, was spotted leaving the private members club Oswald’s in London with a new mystery girl, Daily Mail reported. In the pictures, the two were seen holding hands as they got into a car together.
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Who Is Rocco Close With?
Image Credit: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Fendi) In addition to the many friends Rocco has made during his studies, Rocco has been close friends with David Beckham’s oldest son Brooklyn Beckham over the years. In Brooklyn’s glamorous wedding last year, for example, Rocco was in attendance, Page Six reports.