MADONNA has been given the green light to adopt a second orphan from Malawi — a 13-month-old girl called Mercy.

She’s been told she can take the “smiling angel” as a sister to David Banda, her first child from the African nation.

It follows months of legal wrangling over the adoption of 22-month-old David.

And to ensure all goes smoothly this time, Madge, 49, has told her lawyer in Malawi, Alan Chinula, to “cover all legal bases” before she collects Mercy next April.

Madge insisted she wanted to adopt a sister for David “to redress the balance”. Officials asked her to view up to ten girls before deciding.

She saw Mercy, Grace, Jessica and Fanizio last October at the Kondanani Orphan Care Centre at Blantyre.

She “had her heart” set on Grace, but the tot’s extended family objected. Madge has been back several times since and was said to be “thrilled” to be told she can take Mercy.

She will file papers in February, a month after David’s adoption is finalised.

A close family source said yesterday: “Madonna’s over the moon that she’s been told she can take Mercy. She didn’t want another complicated adoption.”

The source added: “Mercy is a beautiful baby girl. She’s so joyful and happy and giggles every time she’s picked up. Madonna just loves the way she claps her hands and laughs constantly. She has huge, dancing eyes. Madonna calls her her smiling angel.”

Mercy has some family, including an aunt, but they were too poor to keep her, so left her at the orphanage.

She is healthy, unlike David who was desperately ill after arriving in England.

His adoption sparked controversy after it emerged his father, Yohane, was still alive.

Pals said Madonna has suffered torments during the complicated adoption process.

She “despaired” after a home visit to her £5.7million London pad was suddenly scrapped last month.

The singer and film director husband Guy Ritchie, 39, had expected a top official to turn up to assess if they were suitable parents.

A spokeswoman for Madonna, who has a daughter, Lourdes, ten, and son, Rocco, seven, declined to comment about Mercy.

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