Kelly Rutherford Granted Sole Custody Of Her Two Kids

Kelly Rutherford, who starred as Lily van der Woodsen on Gossip Girl, was granted sole custody of her two children Friday.

Kelly Rutherford Granted Custody Of Kids

A California judge ruled that Rutherford’s children – son Hermes, 8, and daughter Helena, 5 – be returned to their mother in the United States.  The children are currently living with their father Daniel Giersch in Monaco. Per the court order, the children must be returned to Rutherford in Los Angeles.

A hearing is scheduled at L.A. Superior Court for June 15. Rutherford, Hermes, Helena and Giersch or his representative must all be present.

“We are ecstatic, and hopeful that Monaco will respect the California court’s ruling and send the children home. It has long been our position that Monaco has no jurisdiction because Hermes and Helena, as American citizens, have an absolute right to live in their own country,” Rutherford’s lawyer Wendy Murphy told People magazine. “If the citizenship shoe were on the other foot and these children were citizens of Monaco, I have no doubt the United States would respect their right to reside in Monaco.”

“Monaco officials know that sending the children back to America is the right thing to do,” Murphy added. “I’m looking forward to the happy reunion of the children not only with their mother, but also with their country!”

Hermes and Helena have been living with Giersch in Europe since 2012 following a ruling by a California judge that stipulated that Rutherford would visit their children in Europe since Giersch’s U.S. visa had been revoked. Rutherford and Giersch divorced in 2009 and agreed to share joint custody.

“I’ve always wanted my kids to have a relationship with him, and I’ve really only encouraged that all along. When I went into court, I never asked for money, and I never asked for full custody,” Rutherford told People earlier this year. “I just wanted what was right for them and their well-being moving forward. And what happened over the next six years was the most surreal, bizarre, unimaginable thing.”