Madonna said that perfect love is unattainable as she attended the premiere of her new film, W.E.
The singer, who directed, co-wrote and co-produced the film, looked stunning as she arrived at the Odeon Kensington in a floor-length black Jean Paul Gaultier gown and feathered Dolce & Gabbana cape.
The 53-year-old also wore Yves Saint Lauren heels, Chanel clutch and Van Cleef and Arpels diamonds, which she teamed with bright red lips.
"This movie shows that there is no such thing as perfect love, that all love requires compromise or sacrifice," she said on the red carpet at the west London cinema, where she was joined by stars Andrea Riseborough, James d'Arcy, Richard Coyle and Natalie Dormer.
"The other thing is that nothing is as it seems. You can look from the outside and think it's one thing but once you start investigating, it's something completely different."
She continued: "It's like a human being. What you thought of them on the first day is not what you think of them a year later."
The film looks at the romance between Wallis Simpson (Riseborough) and Edward VIII (d'Arcy), which led to the monarch's abdication, and includes a parallel modern-day romance.
The biopic received mixed reviews from critics, but Madonna wants people to watch it with an open mind.
"I hope people will leave the film thinking 'Wow', with a whole new perspective on the story," she added.
Riseborough, 30, revealed that she could not resist being moved by Madonna's enthusiasm for the project.
Madonna and other stars for the London premiere of W.E: