A new biography of Madonna has lifted the curtain on how she got the nickname Madge – and what her reaction was.
The book Madonna: A Rebel Life, written by Mary Gabriel, hit shelves Tuesday amid a blizzard of media attention and anticipation.
In its pages, the author writes that Madonna was called “Madge” by fans in Britain by the early 21st century, per People.
During the recording of her 2000 album Music in Britain, she apparently exhibited so little diva behavior that locals started calling her Madge to indicate that she was normal.
However, Guy Ritchie, who became her second husband that year, is said to have told her a very different story about the origin of the nickname.
Throwback: A new biography of Madonna has lifted the curtain back on how she came to be nicknamed Madge in Britain in the 1990s; pictured in London in 2000
Aglow: Written by Mary Gabriel, the book Madonna: A Rebel Life hit shelves this Tuesday amid a blizzard of media attention and anticipation
In an apparent attempt to convince her that her fans weren’t just calling her, Guy allegedly told her that Madge was short for Her Majesty.
Indeed, at that point, Her Maj was already an affectionate nickname used by the British for their own sovereign Queen Elizabeth II.
Madonna herself has already received several nicknames, including the Material Girl and the Queen Of Pop.
The new biography hit the stage while Madonna was rehearsing for her Celebration World Tour, which had to be put on hold this summer due to her health crisis.
Madonna’s Celebration Tour was scheduled to begin in mid-July with a North American leg passing through more than twenty cities in the United States and Canada.
However, that leg had to be postponed after Madonna’s health suffered a sudden decline that struck fear in the hearts of her global fan base.
She spent several days in intensive care after suffering a “serious bacterial infection,” according to her manager.
A report in Radaronline sensationally claimed that she had suffered acute septic shock and was revived with Narcan, which is commonly used to treat overdoses.
Details: Guy Ritchie, who became her second husband that year, reportedly told her a very different story about the nickname’s origins; the couple is pictured in 2000
Boisterous: In an apparent attempt to convince her that her fans didn’t just call her, Guy allegedly told her that Madge was short for Her Majesty; the couple is pictured in 2000
Sepsis occurs when the body responds to an infection by releasing chemicals that can lead to serious organ malfunction, sometimes with fatal consequences.
DailyMail.com contacted Madonna representatives for comment.
The Celebration Tour now begins its European leg, starting as originally scheduled on October 14 at the O2 Arena in London.
Madonna was spotted on the day the biography was released as she emerged from a hotel in Manchester and headed to her concert rehearsals.
