Gwyneth Paltrow is helping Madonna prepare for the arrival of her newly adopted daughter.

The pop star recently won her appeal to adopt the little Malawian girl Chifundo "Mercy" James.

The diva has asked her close friends to help her make her new daughter feel "like a princess" when she arrives at her new home.

A source said: "Gwyneth has a home in the Hamptons area of New York and Madonna was so impressed with her daughter Apple's room that she asked Gwyneth to help her kit out Mercy's new bedroom.

"Madonna wants Mercy to feel like a little princess when she arrives."

The pop star bought a bespoke Georgian-style tree-house for the garden of her £20-million home and a wardrobe full of beautiful clothes for Mercy's arrival in the next few days.

"She's stocked up on cashmere sweaters, dresses and silk tunics and has had a new charm bracelet made for her," a source told The Sun newspaper.

"It features a miniature bell, a Statue of Liberty, a map of Africa and lockets with photos of everyone in her new family."

In the meantime Madonna's 12-year-old daughter has been spending some of her pocket money on spoiling Mercy.

The source said: "Lourdes is really looking forward to having a little girl in the house she can care for. She's bought piles of leggings, hipster T-shirts, tutus and trainers for her."

Mercy will soon meet her other family members — Rocco, eight, and three-year-old David Banda, who was also adopted from Malawi — when she arrives in New York.

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