This article looks at what it was like growing up Jackson at the Neverland Ranch, and the lives of Michael Jackson’s children now that they’re all grown up – from graduating college to modeling and acting, and even a YouTube series!
Debbie Rowe
Michael Jackson was married to Lisa Marie Presley for 2 years, but the couple separated in 1996 with Presley refusing to have children. Jackson was said to be worried that he would never have children of his own. Jackson’s second wife was a woman named Debbie Rowe. Michael and Debbie had met while she was a dermatologist assistant who had treated his vitiligo. The pair courted and were married on November 13, 1996. The relationship would only last two years, but she would give birth to 2 children in that time.
A Prince Is Born
The first child of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe, named Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., was born February 13, 1997 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The couple quickly decided on the perfect nickname for the son of the king of pop: Prince. Debbie and Michael were not a conventional couple, and their marriage was more to do with providing the singer with a family. Shortly after Prince was born, Michael brought the newborn child to his home, Neverland Ranch, while Debbie stayed with a friend.
Cute As A Button
Michael loved doing photoshoots with his children and dressing them up in adorable outfits. Prince looks cute as a button in this very 90s photo, complete with bow tie and big brown eyes. Prince has very fond memories of his childhood at Neverland and says that Michael was a great father who wanted them to live the childhood of their dreams. Prince has stated on numerous occasions how much he misses Michael and how he honors him every day by remembering him.
Paris Arrives
Rowe announced that she was pregnant with Jackson’s second child in November 1997, and on April 3, 1998, a little blue-eyed babe named Paris Michael Katherine Jackson was born. Her middle names come from Michael and his mother, Katherine. As he had done with Prince, Michael took Katherine to the Neverland Ranch soon after the birth. This would be their childhood home, and quite an unconventional one at that, complete with theme park rides and even a petting zoo!
Her Own Private Carousel
Life for Paris and Prince at Neverland Ranch looks like every kid’s dream! The ranch that Jackson bought in 1988 was transformed into an amusement park with a carousel, rollercoaster, and a real zoo. The kids loved to play in this ultimate fairytale land, and Paris looks adorable in her flowered dress as she rides her own private carousel. The children couldn’t go on the rides all the time, but when they were done studying they could make the most of it!
Impeccably Styled
Michael Jackson was always known for his flamboyant, yet impeccably styled, outfits, and the ones he picked for his children were no exception! This photo shows Prince and Paris posing on this beautiful motorcycle and looking very stylish! Michael often dressed Paris in very girly clothes, choosing mary-jane shoes, lots of bows, and very classic dresses. Prince, on the other hand, often wore shirts and slacks which is a style he has also adopted by choice in his adult life.
Blanket Is Born
Prince Michael Jackson II, the third child of Michael, was born on February 21, 2002. Michael used a surrogate mother whose identity was not known to him. Michael nicknamed him Blanket, saying, “…a blanket is a blessing. It’s a way of showing love and caring.” The world first saw Blanket in a dramatic moment when Michael held him up Lion King style to a group of photographers outside a hotel in Berlin. Michael later said he had been swept up in emotion.
Peter Pan Costumes
Peter Pan was an important story in Michael Jackson’s life, he even named his home Neverland after the fictional territory in the book where children do not have to grow up. It was only fitting that the children loved the fantasy of the story too. This adorable photo shows Prince, Paris, and Blanket dressed up in beautiful handmade costumes. Michael was a performer from a very young age and missed a lot of his childhood, so he wanted the three to experience as much magic as possible.
Protecting The Family
Michael always wanted to protect the children from the media and photographers, as well as in an emotional sense. Most paparazzi photos of the kids during their childhood show them wearing elaborate masks, sometimes even carnival costumes, or facial coverings. Sometimes the masks would cover the children’s faces, although often they were semi-transparent which somehow defeated the purpose of wearing them. If anything, it made the paparazzi more voracious in their quest to photograph the children out in the world.
Famous Friends
Playmates of the Jackson children were often the kids of celebrities and wealthy people who would visit them at Neverland Ranch. The family poses for a snap with real estate developer Mohamed Hadid and his family. The two sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid remain close friends with Paris Jackson to this day. As the Jackson children were homeschooled until Michael’s passing, they couldn’t make friends their age the conventional way at school, so these social opportunities were important for them.
A Regular Family
Although the children were frequently photographed wearing masks, occasionally a photo would surface of the family walking around without them. These occasions were probably when the singer didn’t expect to encounter any press. The family looks like a regular father and children, just as Michael always wanted. It is sad to know that this may have been one of the last times the kids got to go out with their father before he passed away at the age of 50.
Michael Jackson’s Death
On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson passed away from an accidental prescription drug overdose at his home in North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. The singer had been in good spirits and rehearsing for a concert at The Staples Center so the news was a shock to the world. The Jackson children were not seen publicly around this time, quite understandably, as the Jackson family broke the news to them and comforted them at home.
The Family Rallies Around Them
Michael Jackson’s death was very sudden and shocked the family, as well as the world. Katherine Jackson, Michael’s mother, stepped in to look after Prince, Paris, and Blanket, as well as their co-guardian, Jackson’s 40-year-old nephew TJ Jackson. In addition to Katherine, their aunts, uncles, and cousins rallied around the children to support them, although Prince, Paris, and Blanket all had their own challenges adjusting to their new world without their dad, who had always been there for them.
Staples Center Memorial Service
A public memorial service for Michael Jackson was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, twelve days after his death. This was the moment that the world really got their first look at the singer’s children. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when 11-year-old Paris took center stage to speak saying, “I just wanted to say, ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just wanted to say I love him so much.”
Doing So Well
“The children are doing so well,” said aunt Latoya Jackson in 2011, “Michael put masks on them to protect them and to keep them safe from anyone who wanted to hurt him. He’s gone now. The first thing my mother did was say to them, ‘Today we’re unmasking you. Today the masks come off.’” Michael’s mother, Katherine, would eventually move the kids to a gated community in nearby Calabasas. They started attending a regular private school instead of being homeschooled.
Lifetime Achievement Award
One of the first times the Jackson children were seen at a celebrity event was in 2010, when Prince and sister Paris accepted their father’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys. They both wore black clothing and red armbands in tribute to their father. The pair took to the stage to accept the award that was handed over to them by Lionel Ritchie. Blanket attended the event, but the eight-year-old stayed in the seats clutching one of his toys.
Prince On Entertainment Tonight
Prince Jackson has always been determined to find his own way in the media business, and he first made his way to our screens in 2013 as a guest correspondent for Entertainment Tonight at just 16 years old. He really enjoyed the experience and has expressed an interest in getting more involved in show business. But Prince never wanted to take shortcuts to achieve his goals stating, “I’m looking to become well-rounded as a producer, director, screenwriter, and actor.”
90210 Finale
2013 was also the year that Prince made his official acting debut on the season finale of 90210. Prince starred alongside the show’s lead characters in the last ever episode of the teen drama series, playing a concert-goer who was injured by a falling stage. Despite it being a cameo, the 16-year-old was able to speak his first-ever lines in a scene opposite character Silver, played by Jessica Stroup. An esteemed first part for the young rising star!
Passion For Production
Prince has told the media on several occasions that music is a big part of his life. He told the LA Times in 2016, “It shaped who I am because of my family, but I’ve always wanted to go into production.” “My dad would ask me what I wanted to do and my answer was always producing and directing..” With several TV spots completed at such a young age, Prince was already well on his way to fulfilling his dreams.
A Savvy Businessman
Despite a desire to follow his dream of being a producer, Prince also saw the value of getting a good education. He enrolled at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, which includes some famous faces amongst its alumni such as Paris Hilton and Alyssa Milano. Initially, Prince wanted to major in film but ended up choosing business instead. This could have been a great move for the budding producer because the film industry is always in need of savvy businessmen.
Prince And Bigi On Youtube
Just days after his graduation, a 22-year-old Prince announced that he and brother Bigi would be launching their own movie review YouTube channel. For their first video, they started on a high with a review of Avengers: Endgame. “We are very excited to announce that we are starting a movie review channel. Right now you can go see our first ever video on my YouTube channel (link in bio),” Prince wrote on Instagram, alongside a screenshot from the video.
A Positive Influence
By making a podcast with Bigi, Prince shows he is taking his big brother role very seriously. He always appears deeply devoted to his family and smiles broadly with them in all their photos together. Bigi has been notoriously quiet, avoiding the spotlight for much of his young life, so it’s encouraging to hear that Prince can be a positive influence and bring Bigi out of his shell. In their first videos, they joked about their love of pizza and comic books.
