Shakira and Gerard Pique face fresh court dispute over sons’ travel arrangements

Shakira and Gerard Pique have appeared in court in Barcelona to discuss the visiting arrangements for their sons, Milan and Sasha, four years after their separation.

The former couple went before a Barcelona court following several days of negotiations that failed to produce a new agreement. The legal proceedings have now concluded and a ruling is pending, according to Marca.

People close to Pique have since outlined their account of the dispute and provided details of the agreement reached in 2022, after months of negotiations following the announcement of the couple’s separation.

What does Shakira want to change?

The latest disagreement centres on Milan and Sasha travelling between Miami and Barcelona. The boys have lived with their mother in Miami since 2023, while Pique is based in Barcelona.

Representatives for Shakira want to amend one of the custody agreement’s provisions to prevent the children from making transatlantic journeys during short school holidays.

The singer’s representatives say the proposal is not intended to reduce the time Milan and Sasha spend with their father. Instead, they argue that responsibility for travelling should be shared between both parents rather than placed solely on the children.

Under Shakira’s proposal, Pique would travel to Miami during shorter breaks to spend time with his sons there. That would avoid the disruption caused by long-distance travel for brief periods, including the effect on the boys’ sleep.

Her representatives believe the change would better protect Milan and Sasha’s psychological, physical and academic wellbeing, while allowing them to maintain their normal routine.

What did the 2022 agreement say?

Sources close to the former footballer told Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia that the children’s trips to Barcelona during certain holidays formed part of the agreement which allowed Shakira to move with them to Miami.

“The agreement stated that during breaks in the American school calendar, each lasting about a week, Milan and Sasha would be in Barcelona with their father’s family – their uncles, aunts and grandparents – and would go to the house in Bolvir,” the sources said.

“In return, their father agreed to their move to Miami with their mother.”

The agreement followed lengthy negotiations, culminating in a meeting lasting nearly 12 hours at the family’s former home. It allowed the children to relocate to the United States with Shakira while giving Pique extensive visiting rights.

According to the sources, Pique was due to travel to Miami every month and spend nine days with his sons. “He always keeps his promise,” they added.

Milan and Sasha were also scheduled to travel to Barcelona during some public holidays to spend time with their father and his family. The proposed dates included Thanksgiving and the spring break at the end of March in American schools, allowing the boys to visit Spain without missing lessons or activities.

The agreement also divided half of the summer and Christmas holidays between the parents. That is the arrangement Shakira is now seeking to change.

The separation agreement was approved by a judge in Barcelona in December 2022, following several months of negotiations after the couple announced their split in June that year.

Sources close to Pique believe Shakira’s proposal directly affects the clause covering the children’s trips to Barcelona during specific periods of the school year.

“She wants him to be the one who always travels; that is what the whole matter is based on,” the sources said.