As Madonna’s daughter, Lourdes Leon has had a different childhood to most. Lourdes, whose full name is Lourdes “Lola” Maria Ciccone Leon, was born on October 14, 1996.

Lourdes—who is Madonna’s daughter from her relationship with Carlos Leon—is one of Madonna’s six kids. The singer also a mother to sons Rocco Ritchie (with ex Guy Ritchie), David Banda, and daughters Mercy James, Estere and Stella. Lourdes works as a model and lives in New York City. She made her modeling debut in 2016 for Stella McCartney. She’s also modeled for brands Marc Jacobs, Juicy Couture, Swarvoski and Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty. Read on for what else we know about Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon and what her relationship with her mom is like.

Who is Lourdes Leon’s father?

Lourdes Leon’ father is Carlos Leon, a personal trainer, who she met in 1994. The former couple, who were rumored to be engaged, dated for three years until their breakup in 1997, less than a year after Lourdes was born on October 14, 1996. In 2013, Carlos married designer Betina Holte. The two welcomed a son named Meeka in 2015. In an interview on The Billy Bush Show in 2008, Carlos revealed that he and Madonna have an amicable relationship. “I have a great relationship with all my ex-girlfriends, but especially Madonna,” he said. “There was a friendship and there still is a friendship. If she needs to talk to me I’m there and if I need to talk to her she’s there. That’s the way it goes.” He continued, “Parents can learn from us in that way. Any parents that stay friends, it’s really good for the children.”

Source: Instagram

What is Madonna and Lourdes Leon’s relationship like?

As for Madonna and Lourdes’ relationship, the model claimed in a chat with Interview magazine in October 2021 that her mother “controlled” her her “whole life.” “My mom is such a control freak, and she has controlled me my whole life. I needed to be completely independent from her as soon as I graduated high school,” Lourdes said.

Because of her mother’s “control freak” personality, Lourdes also confirmed that she paid for her own tuition at the University of Michigan’s School of Music and Dance, which she attended from 2014 to 2018, as well as her own apartment in Bushwick, Brooklyn. “We don’t get any handouts in my family. Obviously, I grew up with extreme privilege,” she said. “There’s no denying that. But I think my mom saw all these other kids of famous people, and she was like, ‘My kids are not going to be like this.’ Also, I feel like if your parents pay for things, then it gives them leverage over you.”

Despite her “rigid upbringing,” Lourdes told Interview that she still looks to her mother for advice. “She said something to me recently that has really stuck with me,” she said. “I’ve been so concerned with making a decent living, and wanting to live more luxuriously than I was when I first graduated and wasn’t earning a lot of money. She was like, ‘ Remember, this shit is not real. It’s not about the money or your face or how hot you look. It’s about what you’re bringing into the world and what you’re going to leave behind.’ That always shakes me awake when I get too caught up in everything.” Lourdes also told Interview that she often steals her mother’s clothes, which is why Madonna started to put a lock on her closets. “I do, but now there’s a lock on her closets. When she’s not in the house, those things are locked tight, because I take everything I feel that I’m entitled to,” she said.

Lourdes also revealed to Interview that her mother warned her before she became a model. “She’s very much like, ‘Proceed with caution and think about what you want to be known for,'” Lourdes said. “I’ve thought a lot about that recently, because as a ‘model,’ you’re basically relying on your looks. It can feel very overwhelming, and can potentially cause a lot of insecurity. Obviously, you’re not going to look the same your whole life. My mom is very insistent on making me think about what I want to be known for beyond my looks. That’s not what I want people to remember me by. It’s not real.”