Fifty and fab: Madonna's birthday tribute

Aug 18, 2008, 9:40 GMT

(FILE) A file picture dated 12 November 1998 shows US pop icon Madonna posing with her MTV Award for Best Female Artist at the fifth annual MTV Europe Music Awards at Filaforum near Milan, Italy. Madonna turns 50 on 16 August 2008. EPA/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO

Madonna's husband Guy Ritchie paid tribute to her at her 50th birthday celebrations on Saturday (16.08.08).

The director threw a lavish £100,000 party for 90 guests to celebrate his wife reaching the landmark age at the weekend and, in an emotional speech, spoke of his love and pride for the singer.

Guy - who has been dogged by rumours his marriage to the pop superstar is on the rocks - told partygoers at the Volstead nightclub in London: "She looks better now than she has ever done. I'm so proud. I love her so much."

Despite organising the party, Guy spent most of the day working as he hosted a private industry screening of his new movie 'RocknRolla'.

An insider commented: "It was as if he was trying to make a point by not being at her beck and call."

The 'Give It 2 Me' singer was moved to tears when her 11-year-old daughter Lourdes performed a surprise rendition of 'Never Alone' from the musical 'Fame' at the venue's grand piano.

Madonna was left disappointed after her closest friends - including Stella McCartney and Gwyneth Paltrow - failed to attend the party.

In a 40-minute speech, she thanked Guy, Lourdes, eight-year-old son Rocco, and adopted son David, two, before adding: "I'm really disappointed. There are a lot of people who are not here tonight, but thanks to everyone who did make it."

Guy - who refused to dance with his wife - also poked fun at the absence of Madonna's friends in his speech, noting that many of the guests worked for her.

Around 40 partygoers were her dancers, who joined the star and her children to gyrate to her back catalogue on the dance-floor, which had a huge M in the middle.

A friend said: "She loved it when her songs came on. Her dancers were pulling out all the moves, it was like the final rehearsal for her tour."