David Banda was put on a private jet bound for South Africa on Monday. It later flew on to London. Arriving at Heathrow, the baby, who was wearing denim shorts, a white T-shirt and a baseball cap, was covered with a blanket as he was carried out on to the runway, protecting him from the cold as well as photographers.
Despite the cold and the early hour, David did not cry and seemed remarkably alert after his long flight. He was surrounded by the star's aides and carried by the brunette who was seen taking him on to the plane which left Malawi. On Monday Madonna and her husband Guy Ritchie were granted an 18-month temporary custody of the 13-month-old boy, according to her publicist.
David's father, peasant farmer Yohane Banda, took the baby to an orphanage to be cared for when he became sick at five weeks old. He had already lost his first two children to malaria. The child's picture is believed to be among 12 emailed to Madonna from the Home of Hope Orphan Care Centre in Mchinji.
The orphanage director, the Rev Thompson Chipeta, told Mr Banda "a very nice Christian lady" wanted to offer David a home. Madonna, 48, wants David to be a brother to her children, Lourdes, nine, and Rocco, five.
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