motherhood

THEY once heaped praise on each other with Shakira affectionately referring to Montserrat Bernabéu as “my little mother-in-law.”But now the fur is flying, following the She-Wolf singer’s split from Gerard Pique, after 12 years together.
Shakira with Gerard, his brother Marc (left) and parents Joan Pique and Montserrat Bernabeu, in 2013Credit: Alamy
The witch doll appeared on the singer’s balcony, overlooking her in-laws homeCredit: Splash
Shakira, who lives next door to her ex’s parents in a gated community in Barcelona, took a swipe at Montserrat, 60, in the diss track she released last week – then played the song at full volume so her in-laws could hear.
She added insult to injury by placing a mannequin of a witch on a balcony overlooking their house.
Now it’s reported the Hips Don’t Lie star is building a wall between the two properties, which are joined in some areas, after a cement mixer was seen in the grounds.    
The 45-year-old Colombian is said to be furious with Gerard’s parents after they welcomed his new lover, 23-year-old Clara Chia Marti, with open arms.
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The split last summer has led to a bitter war of words between Shakira and Gerard – who share sons Milan, nine, and Sasha, seven. 
Now the brutal tit for tat has spilled over to the rest of the family, with dad Joan Pique also getting involved.
Gerard Pique and Shakira were a couple for 12 yearsCredit: Getty
The split happened after Gerard met Clara Chia Marti, then 22Credit: BackGrid
Mansions with connecting grounds
It’s a toxic turn of events for the family, who claimed to be close during the couple’s 12-year-romance – which began on the set of the video for Shakira’s 2010 World Cup anthem, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).”  
In 2015, after the birth of second son Sasha, the couple splashed out £4.9million on a mansion in Ciutat Diagonal, one of the most exclusive gated communities in Spain, just half an hour from the centre of Barcelona. 
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The stunning mansion, with sea views, is spread over 1,500 square feet, and boasts seven bedrooms, two kitchens, a swimming pool with a waterfall, a gym, games room and private cinema.
Wanting to be close to their grandchildren, Montserrat, an eminent neurologist, and her lawyer husband moved into the property next door.
At the time, relations were good and Shakira spent a lot of time with Montserrat, attending various events together and posting family snaps on social media.
The £4.9m house is next door to Pique’s parentsCredit: Solarpix
The palatial mansion boasts a gym, cinema room and games roomCredit: Instagram/shakira
Close relationship
As well as helping care for the two boys, Pique’s parents looked after the house when they were away, and were sleeping upstairs in 2018 when it was burgled, with raiders stealing expensive watches and jewellery worth thousands of pounds.
In an interview with Vogue, Montserrat described Shakira as “a spectacular person, a simple woman with great values who also happens to be the second most important woman in showbusiness. I find her a fascinating person.”
The pair still seemed to be close shortly before the shock split, in June 2021, when the singer gently mocked her partner’s mum for advising her to get her famous locks cut into a sleek bob, debuted at a ceremony in her honour thrown by the  French Ministry of Culture in 2012. 
In a Vogue video, which has gone viral since the row flared up, she says: “Oh wow, how terrible, that’s a really bad haircut. 
“I took advice from my mother-in-law. She said ‘Hey, why don’t you cut your hair? It’s really damaged.’ And me: ‘Ah, uh-huh,’”
“Worst mistake of my life. Mother-in-law, I’m not taking cosmetic advice from you again.” 
Shakira with Milan and Montserrat at a La Liga gameCredit: Getty
She blamed her mother-in-law for the ‘terrible’ bobCredit: Getty
Shock split
Given their previously close relationship, Shakira may have expected her in-laws to condemn their son’s romance with Clara – which reportedly began months before the 2022 split.
Rumours the former Barcelona star was having an affair emerged in June and days later, the couple shocked fans when they released a joint statement announcing their separation, adding: “For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy. Thank you for your understanding.”
Spanish outlet El Periodico reported that they had been living separately for a few weeks, after Shakira kicked him out of the family home.
Three months later, she was furious when he went public with new girlfriend Clara, then 22, and she was hurt and infuriated to discover Gerard’s parents actively supported his “romance” from the beginning.
The couple made frequent visits to his parents’ home, in full view of the scorned singer, and invited the PR student to use their swimming pool.
Earlier this month, Shakira was said to be “devastated” after footage of a zoom interview from August 2021, seemed to show Clara in the background of the family home – ten months before the couple announced their separation – while Shakira was reportedly abroad with the boys.
She also revealed she turned sleuth on her cheating ex after discovering a jar of strawberry jam – which he hated – had been opened, suggesting he had been entertaining a ‘guest’ while she was away. 
Images of Clara at the couple’s house before the split emerged recentlyCredit: YouTube/Ibai
The singer was close to MontserratCredit: Instagram
Diss track
The star’s bitter new diss track – BZRP Music Sessions #53 – takes a swipe at both Gerard and Clara, referring to the women’s respective ages with the lyric: “I’m worth two 22s. You traded a Ferrari for a Twingo, you traded a Rolex for a Casio.”
But she also gets in a dig at Montserrat, spitting: “You left me the mother-in-law as a neighbour.”
As the feud escalated, Shakira played the tracks at full volume, on repeat, so her in-laws could hear. 
In a bizarre move, she also placed a life-size mannequin, dressed as a witch on  a broomstick, on the balcony of her house, overlooking her in-laws’ home.
Journalist Marc Leirado said the mannequin, with long grey hair and a witch’s hat, had spooked Montserrat.
“Weeks ago, I got some information that Pique’s mother was worried about an alleged ritual that was done to her with a black witch,” he wrote.
The star recorded a diss track with pal BizarrapCredit: DALE PLAY RECORDS
The witch overlooking the Piques’ homeCredit: Splash
He says Pique’s mum had asked a member of Shakira’s staff to remove it and it was temporarily taken down before being replaced.
It seems she is now attempting to distance herself from the Pique family further, by building a wall around the mansion, which is soon to go up for sale as part of the split settlement.
While Montserrat remains tight-lipped about the barbs from Shakira, she removed a ‘like’ she had given to the post of Shakira’s new song.
Joan Pique responded with a humorous swipe of his own – changing his WhatsApp profile to a picture of Kevin Costner from Dancing With Wolves, an obvious reference to the She-Wolf tag.
Gerard has also hit back with his own mocking stunts – turning up to work at his seven-a-side league office in a Twingo and gloating that he has secured sponsorship from Casio, in a direct reference to Shakira’s lyrics.
In a video posted online, he told fans: “The King’s League struck a deal with Casio” as his former team-mate and ex-Man City star Sergio Aguero is seen chanting “Casio” on the video wall behind him. 
Pique then points to a new timepiece and says “this watch will last a lifetime” before handing everybody on the set a watch.
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With the house about to be put up for sale, Shakira is planning a move to Miami with the boys but her 91-year-old dad, who has lived with her since being hospitalised after a fall last year, is not currently well enough.
So it seems for now, the singer is stuck with the neighbours – no matter how much she hates them. 
Gerard Pique taunts his ex with a Casio More