Madonna And Child, Take Two

The Material Girl is having another baby.

Pop superstar Madonna is three months pregnant with her second child, said a spokeswoman for her record company on Monday.

"She is pregnant. The father is Guy Ritchie," said the WEA records spokeswoman in London, where the 41-year-old singer and actress has a home.

A brief statement said the prospective parents "are happy to confirm the rumors that they are expecting a child at the end of this year."

"We would be grateful if the media would kindly allow us some privacy at this special time and we thank you all for your good wishes," said Ritchie, director of the hit British film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

The couple met two years ago at a luncheon given by Trudie Styler, the wife of rock star Sting. Their romance was rekindled when the singer returned to London last fall.

Madonna has a three-year-old daughter, Lourdes, from her relationship with Carlos Leon, her former personal trainer.

Earlier this month, the superstar said she was in love with the 31-year-old Ritchie. She hinted marriage might be in the cards, adding she would like a brother or sister for daughter Lourdes, whom she calls Lola.

"I do think Lola should have a brother or sister," she told the Times of London newspaper then. "She is incredibly spoiled - she could do with a bit of competition."

But the singer was adamant that she had to find the right man and wanted to be in a stable relationship.

Madonna, whose often outrageous sexuality has been a staple of her climb to pop culture stardom, was briefly married to actor Sean Penn before having a baby with Leon, whom she never married. Madonna and Leon split up when Lourdes was about 18 months old.

Monday's announcement came shortly after Madonna scored another number one hit in the British charts with her cover of Don McLean's American Pie.