Shakira seeks custody change over sons’ travel arrangements

Shakira has made a new request in her custody arrangements with former partner Gerard Piqué, focusing on how their two sons travel between the United States and Spain.

The Colombian singer and the former FC Barcelona footballer appeared at Barcelona’s City of Justice on October 6 for proceedings related to the visitation agreement for their sons, Milan and Sasha. The boys are now 13 and 11 years old.

Shakira and Piqué reached a custody agreement after ending their relationship in 2022. However, the singer is now seeking a change to part of that agreement, specifically the arrangements surrounding international travel during the boys’ school holidays.

Shakira wants Piqué to travel to Miami

Under the current arrangement, Milan and Sasha travel between Miami, where they live with their mother, and Barcelona, where their father is based.

Shakira is asking for the arrangement to be changed during shorter school breaks. Instead of requiring the boys to fly from Miami to Barcelona for a relatively short visit, she wants Piqué to travel to Miami to spend time with them.

The proposed change would mainly apply to shorter holidays when the children would otherwise have to make a long international journey for only a limited period.

The singer’s team believes that this adjustment would make travel easier for the boys while allowing them to continue spending time with their father.

Concern over long international journeys

The main reason behind Shakira’s request is the impact that frequent transatlantic travel could have on Milan and Sasha.

Flying between Miami and Barcelona involves a long journey and a significant time-zone difference. Shakira’s representatives believe that making these trips for short school breaks could interfere with the boys’ daily routines.

The proposed arrangement would allow the children to remain in Miami during shorter breaks while Piqué travels to see them. According to Shakira’s representatives, this could help the boys maintain their school commitments, social activities and family routines.

They also described the request as an effort to protect the children’s emotional, physical and academic well-being.

Shakira is not asking to reduce Piqué’s time

Shakira’s latest request does not appear to be aimed at reducing Piqué’s time with his sons.

Instead, her team has emphasized that the goal is to share the travel responsibility more evenly. Rather than placing most of the international travel burden on Milan and Sasha, Shakira wants Piqué to make the journey to Miami during shorter breaks.

The former couple would therefore continue to maintain their existing relationship with their children, while making adjustments to how visits are carried out.

Shakira and Gerard Piqué’s relationship

Shakira and Piqué began their relationship publicly in 2011. They later became parents to two sons, Milan, born in 2013, and Sasha, born in 2015.

After more than a decade together, the couple announced their separation in 2022. Shakira later moved to Miami with their children following the custody agreement reached with Piqué.

Piqué has since continued his life in Barcelona and made his relationship with Clara Chía Martí public in 2023.

Meanwhile, Shakira continues to focus on her music career and live performances. The singer has extended her Madrid residency, with a final show scheduled for October 12 following strong demand from fans.

The latest custody proceedings show that while Shakira and Piqué continue to share parental responsibilities, they are seeking adjustments that they believe will work better for their sons as they grow older.