Mercy James Joins Madonna In London

After a grueling months-long adoption process, Madonna's new daughter has finally joined the star in London. Chifundo "Mercy" James flew from her native Malawi on a private jet headed for London, the Associated Press reports on Saturday.

An airport employee and a person familiar with Madonna's adoption proceedings said the 3-year-old left late Friday. The girl was reportedly accompanied on the flight by a nanny, a child nurse and a third assistant.

A week ago, Malawi's highest court overturned an April lower court decision and ruled that Madonna could adopt Mercy, the second child she has adopted from the African country.
The previous ruling claimed she had not spent enough time in the country. The high court, however, said the first judge had imposed too narrow a definition of residency, and lauded Madonna for her work with children in a poor country where half a million have lost a parent to AIDS.

Mercy should have reached London, where Madonna has a home, Saturday morning, the AP reports. She will join Madonna's other children, David, the son she adopted from Malawi last year, and Lourdes, 12, and Rocco, 8.