It's been more than a decade since the world sadly lost a beloved musical icon, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. While we remember his incredible talent through his vast collection of timeless hits that will forever live on, most fans, and the world in general, always wonder what happened to the late Michael Jackson's children and what they are up to these days. Jackson was survived by his three children; Michael Joseph Jr, Paris-Michael Katherine, and Prince Michael II.

Following Jackson's death, his mother, Katherine, became his children's legal guardian. We started knowing more about them after Jackson's death because he largely shielded them from the public. They are all grown up now, and they have followed in their father's footsteps in various regards. Let's revisit what life was like for the Jackson kids growing up with a famous father and find out what they are up to these days.

Two Children From His Second Marriage

Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley tied the knot in 1994, but their marriage ended about a year later. Presley, who filed for divorce, cited irreconcilable differences, and Jackson would later say that Presley's reluctance to have children contributed to their split.

After their split was finalized, Jackson exchanged vows with Debbie Rowe in November of 1996. Rowe was a dermatologist assistant who worked at a medical facility that Jackson visited to treat his vitiligo. While their marriage was also short-lived and lasted for two years, it resulted in the birth of Jackson's two eldest children.

Welcoming Prince

Rowe and Jackson welcomed their first child, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., on February 13, 1997. Despite his official names, his father felt that his eldest child deserved a befitting nickname, and he was dubbed Prince. After all, he was the son of the King of Pop.

Rowe and Jackson didn't have a conventional relationship, and they reportedly stayed apart for the better part of their union. As soon as Rowe gave birth to Prince, the little boy went to live with his father at the famous Neverland Ranch while Rowe stayed with a friend.

The Family Grows Yet Again

It wasn't long before the family grew once again when they welcomed Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson on April 3, 1998. Jackson gave the little blue-eyed girl his mother's name Katherine as well as his own name.

Likewise, the little girl went to live with her father at the Neverland Ranch while Rowe didn't accompany her. The Neverland Ranch would become the children's childhood home, providing them with an unconventional yet thrilling roof over their heads. It came complete with a petting zoo and theme park rides.

A Private Theme Park

Prince and Paris had a childhood that was any kid's dream: growing up in a private theme park. Jackson purchased the ranch in 1988 and transformed it into his personal playground. The property had a real zoo, carousel, rollercoaster, and just about everything else you would find at an amusement park.

It offered the kids an ultimate fairytale land that accorded them an unparalleled childhood. The kids weren’t allowed to run wild, and they had to abide by rules. They were only allowed to go on the rides after they finished studying.

A Picture-Perfect Childhood

Jackson loved dressing his kids up in adorable outfits and doing photoshoots. This photo of Prince proves it, and he simply looks '90s dapper in his cute outfit complete with a bow tie. Most of their photos from that time almost look like paintings.

Prince recalls nothing but fond memories of his childhood at Neverland. He described Jackson as a great father who wanted the best for his children. On numerous occasions, Prince has also said that he misses his dad and honors him every passing day by keeping his memory fresh in his mind.

Dressed To The Nines

Jackson is also remembered for his fashion choices, which were flamboyant yet stylish. He strived to look sophisticated and neat, leaning towards classic styles over the popular fads of the time. His style incorporated military-inspired accessories and his trademark armbands.

Jackson extended the same sense of style to his children, as seen through this photo of Prince and Paris. Jackson often dressed Paris in girly outfits, including lots of bows and paired with mary-jane shoes. Prince sported slacks and shirts, which is a style he's kept years later as an adult.

The Jackson Family Welcome Blanket

On February 21, 2002, the Jackson family welcomed their youngest member, Prince Michael Jackson II. He was born via an anonymous surrogate mother. Jackson nicknamed him Blanket, explaining that he considered a blanket as a blessing and a way of showing caring and love.

Jackson dramatically introduced Blanket to the world by dangling him from the balcony of his Berlin hotel room. His actions sparked some outrage from people who thought that he had endangered the life of the child. Jackson later apologized for his actions explaining that he'd been swept by emotion.

A Family Friend Who Might Be Family

Rumors were always rife that Jackson never sired his kids himself. Claims suggested that a close family member might have had a hand in helping Jackson have the family he had always wanted. Over the years, Jackson's family has always maintained that the rumors are doubtless and malicious.

It hasn't stopped people from speculating about it, and Jackson's good friend Macaulay Culkin's name has cropped up several times as Paris and Prince's implied biological father. Dr. Arnie Klein, who had been Jackson's dermatologist for years and a good friend, has also been rumored to be the children's biological father.

 Mark Lester Sparked The Rumors

Actor Mark Lester and Jackson had been friends for over three decades, and Lester claimed that he had donated sperm to Jackson before the birth of his first child. In 2013, Lester went as far as saying that he's ready to take a DNA test as soon as Jackson's kids come of age and can give their consent.

Lester also says that Paris resembles his daughter Olivia and people always point out their similarities. Jason Pfeiffer, Jackson's close friend, also claimed that Jackson had confessed to him that he had used Lester's sperm to sire his kids.

A Magical Upbringing

Regardless of the rumors about Jackson not having sired his kids, everyone who knew him agreed that he raised them as his own. Jackson set out to give his children a magical upbringing, one that he never had himself. It started right from his home that he had named the "Neverland" Ranch after the popular fictional territory from Peter Pan.

Neverland is fictionalized as a territory where kids never grew up, and Jackson was considered to be young at heart. Jackson's kids also grew to love the fictional tale seen through this photo where they are dressed up as characters from Peter Pan.

Shielding His Family From The Media

Like all parents, Jackson wanted to protect his children, but he went to the extreme in some cases to shield them from the media. Several photos of the kids in their childhood taken by the paparazzi show them with facial coverings and sometimes dressed up in carnival costumes.

Sometimes he had them wear semi-transparent facial covers, which kind of defeated their purpose. The attempts at disguising the children seemed to have the opposite effect, and it somehow made the paparazzi even more set on snapping photos of the kids without the facial covers.

The Panic Button Incident

Besides protecting his kids when they were in public, Jackson also did his best to ensure that they were secure while at home. Family and friends agreed that he was always worried about safeguarding his children's wellbeing. He had panic buttons installed around the house as one of the security measures.

One incident saw the guards alerted to something unusual inside the house because a button had been pressed. They rushed indoors to assess the situation only to realize that Blanket had made his way to one of the panic buttons, and out of curiosity, he had pressed it.

Making Celebrity Friends

The Jackson children were also fortunate enough to rub shoulders with their father's celebrity friends. Soon enough, they also made celebrity friends with playdates set up between Mohamed Hadid's children, the now-famous sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid. Paris has stayed close friends with the sisters to date.

Since they were homeschooled until their father's untimely passing, the Jackson kids had limited opportunities to make friends conventionally. The social opportunities they had to rub shoulders with other kids of the rich and famous were important because they also made long-term friends.

Fascinating Godparents

Jackson had a circle of well-known good friends who he chose to be his kids’ godparents. Unsurprisingly, that was the late Elizabeth Taylor and Macaulay Culkin. While Taylor passed away in 2011, Culkin remains in their life.

In 2018, Paris wished Culkin a happy birthday, and the two of them even got matching tiny spoon tattoos on their forearms. Culkin told Marc Maron on his podcast that he is very protective when it comes to his goddaughter. He added that he is an open book when talking about himself but not about her.

A Typical Family

Even though the kids grew up with a famous dad and frequently mingled with other celebrities, they had a relatively typical family life, all factors considered. They were occasionally photographed out and about without their facial coverings, possibly when Jackson hadn't anticipated bumping into the paparazzi.

This photo shows Jackson out on a stroll with his kids, looking like a regular family. It's sad to imagine that this might be one of the final public moments the kids shared with their dad before his passing at the age of 50.

Losing Their Father

On June 25, 2009, Jackson died from a cardiac arrest following an accidental overdose after taking prescription drugs. He passed away at his Holmby Hills home in Los Angeles at a time when he had been working on a comeback through the "This Is It" tour.

News about Jackson's passing quickly went viral, causing several sites or web services, including Wikipedia, AOL, Twitter, and Google, to either crash or slow down from user overload. The Jackson children were shielded from the public at the time, and understandably, they heard about their father's passing from their extended family members.

A Touching Memorial Service

The Staples Center hosted Jackson's memorial service on 7 July 2009. A private family service held at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills preceded the Staples Center memorial. An estimated 1.6 million fans applied to get tickets to attend the memorial, but only 8,750 people were chosen randomly, and each person received two tickets.

Paris, who was just 11 years old at the time, moved everyone when she took center stage to talk about her dad. She said that he was the best dad anyone could ever imagine. She finished off by saying that she loved him so much.

Receiving Their Father's Lifetime Achievement Award

Katherine Jackson became the kids' guardian upon their father's death. In 2010, they accompanied their grandmother and cousins on an interview with Oprah Winfrey, where they spoke about life after losing their father.

The siblings attended the Grammy Awards the same year, and Paris and Prince accepted their father's Lifetime Achievement Award. They were both clad in black outfits, complete with red armbands as a way of paying tribute to their late father. Their little brother Blanket was also present, but he stayed in his seat clutching at one of his toys.

Support From Their Extended Family Members

The sudden nature of Jackson's death shocked the world as well as his family. The extended family members rallied in support of the Jackson children, and Jackson's nephew TJ Jackson also served as the kids' co-guardian. Their cousins, aunts, and uncles were also there for them as they navigated through the new reality of life without their father.

The children are also aware of the physical allegations made against their father, and when Leaving Neverland came out in 2019, Paris was the only one who responded publicly in part. Through tweets that she deleted, she responded to a tweet saying that she hasn't yet addressed how such statements affect her work life.

Pulling Through Just Fine

In 2011, their aunt Letayo Jackson explained that the children were pulling through just fine. She added that Jackson had put masks on his children to protect them from the people he perceived wanted to hurt him by going after his family. However, since he was gone, the first thing their grandmother told them was that they were being unmasked.

Their grandmother moved them to a gated community in Calabasas, and they were enrolled in private school. Prince and his sister Paris attended the Buckley School located in Sherman Oaks, California.

An Eye For Production

Growing up with a father who was a music maestro, naturally, music became a huge part of the Jackson kids, especially for Prince. In 2016, Prince told the LA Times that it helped shape who he is and sparked his interest in production.

He recalled his father asking him what he wanted to do when he grew up, and Prince would say that he wanted to be a director and producer. He ventured into the world of entertainment quite young, and it paved the way for him to fulfill his dreams.

Prince’s TV Debut

When Prince was 16 years old, he made his first huge stride towards pursuing a media career. He appeared on Entertainment Tonight in 2013, serving as a guest correspondent, and he did a great job.

Prince enjoyed the experience and knew that he wanted to pursue his ambition to get into showbiz. He didn't want to take any shortcuts or ride on his late father's fame to achieve his goal; he wanted to work hard for it. Biography quoted him, saying that he strived towards becoming a well-rounded filmmaker, screenwriter, and actor.

Prince's Acting Debut

Prince also made his acting debut in 2013 when he appeared in the finale episode of 90210. He shared the screen with the show's lead characters as a concert-goer who gets injured when he falls off the stage.

The role was just a cameo, but Prince had some lines, and it didn't hurt that it was opposite Jessica Stroup, who portrayed Silver. It was an esteemed role for a young actor who was just venturing into the acting industry. However, somewhere along the way, Prince decided to change his career path.

Pursuing A Career In Business

Prince enrolled at Loyola Marymount University, which has a few notable alumni, including Alyssa Milano and Paris Hilton. Prince decided to major in Business Administration, even though he had initially wanted to study film. It might seem like he strayed from his goals, but essentially, understanding business is an equally important aspect of becoming a profitable filmmaker.

Prince carried the mantle from his father when it came to his involvement in charity. He heads the Heal Los Angeles Foundation, a non-profit that aims to combat child abuse, hunger, and homelessness.

Paris On Overcoming Difficulties

Paris was just a year younger than her elder brother Prince who was 12 when they lost their father. She has spoken about losing her father, saying that the years that followed his death were difficult. During an interview with Rolling Stone, she explained that she struggled with feelings of self-hatred, thinking that she couldn't do things right.

Fortunately, with the support she received from her extended family members and friends, she overcame the difficulties. She learned to find fulfillment from chasing after her career goal and building lasting relationships.

Schooling In Utah

Attending a regular high school in her junior and sophomore years helped Paris a lot with coping. The family enrolled her in a Utah-based therapeutic school, providing her with a refreshing change. She finished high school in 2015 before enrolling in a community college.

Paris decided that college wasn't for her, and she would rather start working immediately. That's when she tried her luck at modeling, and she did stand out. She caught the right people's attention in the modeling industry and was soon walking for high-end brands on international runways.

Taking On The Runways

Paris caught the eye of talent scouts because of her poised nature and her piercing blue eyes. It wasn't long before she had modeling agents clamoring to work with her, and she settled with the IMG agency in 2017.

Paris has appeared on the cover of several publications, including Vogue Australia and Rolling Stone. She also made her acting debut in 2017, appearing on FOX's musical drama Star in a guest role. In 2018 she had her first big-screen role in Gringo, and in 2019, she had an appearance in the slasher series Scream.

A Walk On The Runways In Paris

In January 2020, Paris had the honor of making her Fashion Week debut in the French capital, Paris. She modeled outfits by designer Jean-Paul Gaultier for his 2020 Haute Couture Spring/Summer collection. That happened to be Gautlier's final showcase because he retired from the runway after marking his 50th anniversary at the Paris Fashion Week.

The collection featured brightly colored, hippie-chic pieces paired with dynamic Bohemian accessories. Several top models and celebrities also modeled Gaultier's collection, including Paris's long-time BFFs Gigi and Bella Hadid, as well as Dita Von Teese.

 A Budding Musician

Paris is also a budding musician, which must be something she undoubtedly gets from her father. She teamed up with her boyfriend, musician Gabriel Glenn, to form a band called The Soundflowers. Paris sings and plays the acoustic guitar for their hippie-inspired folk duo.

The Soundflowers staged several performances along the Pacific Coast Highway in 2019 dubbed The Full Moon Tour. Paris gravitates towards the hippie aesthetic, and she's often wearing crochet tops, bell-bottom jeans, and ditches footwear, choosing to remain barefoot. In 2020 she released her first single and music video as a solo artist called Let Down.

A Positive Role Model

On her Vogue Australia feature, Paris discussed her career goals explaining that she hopes to "leave a positive imprint" in the industry. She explained that she wanted to mostly break the stereotypical beauty standards that we often see plastered all over magazines.

Paris added that above all, she wants to be a good influence on the young girls who are looking up to her. She finished off by saying that she doesn't only want to be a good influence, but a role model that parents are fine with their children looking up to.

Tattoo Expression

Besides expressing herself in hippie styles, Paris also loves tattoos. She started inking her body as soon as she could legally get tattoos. Her childhood experience growing up with a zoo at the Neverland Ranch must have lingered, and that's why her tattoos are animal-themed.

She has 16 of them so far, including a bird, a goat, monkey, rabbit, and a peacock. Paris also has other non-animal tattoos, including a heart, an eye, and two tattoos dedicated to her young brother. She tattooed the initials of his name "B" alongside the Millenium Falcon from Star Wars.

The Apple Of Her Father's Eye

Parents love their children the same, and Jackson wasn't an exception. However, Paris still maintains that she was the apple of her father's eye. After all, she was his only daughter, and he went all out to treat her like a queen.

That is partly why she found it hard to cope after his passing. When she was 15, she became an intravenous drug addict, and sadly, she attempted to take her life on several occasions. While she originally credited the therapeutic school she attended in Utah for helping her cope, Paris revealed in October 2020 that she had undergone extensive abuse at the school alongside other students.

His Father's Shadow

When it comes to which of the Jackson children shadow their father the most, his youngest son Blanket fits the bill. At least that's according to his late grandfather Joe Jackson, who said that Blanket could dance and sing.

Joe explained that Blanket reminded him most of Jackson at a younger age. Jackson is always said to have been strict on his children, but he's credited for helping them find fame on an international platform. He coached his sons and served as the manager of the band they formed, the Jackson 5.

A Change To Bigi

Like his big brother, Prince received the nickname Blanket from his father, and it stuck. However, on account of the bullying he faced based on the unusual name, he decided to change it to Bigi in 2015. The name has German roots meaning inspirations, sensitive, and idealistic. It's quite befitting.

According to a friend interviewed by People magazine, Bigi is only shy and reserved around people he doesn't know. Attending a private school in Los Angeles helped him grow more confident. He focuses on his grades, balances it out by hanging out with friends.

A Shy But Normal Teen

When his father died, Bigi was just nine years old. He spent his teenage years away from the spotlight. Bigi went to a regular, although private, school just like his siblings. Bigi is also involved in sports and loves movies. In every sense, he had a normal teen life in the years that followed his father's passing.

Bigi is extremely close with his entire family, but he has a particularly close relationship with his big brother Prince. The pair have become almost inseparable, judging by the joint ventures they have started in recent years.

Turning 18

Bigi celebrated his 18th birthday in February 2020. His siblings were happy that he marked the milestone, and Paris took to social media, saying that she was proud to have a funny, intelligent, handsome, and insightful brother who is also a kind man.

Bigi also started sharing more photos on social media and accompanying his siblings during public appearances. He couldn't miss his brother's graduation just three months after his 18th birthday, which is one of the many public appearances he's been making of late. The two brothers look happy in this photo taken from the day.

Brothers On YouTube

Prince graduated from Loyola in May 2019 with cum laude honors, and shortly before that; he had announced that he was launching a YouTube channel with his brother Bigi. The channel called Film Family focuses on movie reviews, and they kicked off with a video sharing their thoughts on one of the biggest movies released in 2019, Avengers Endgame.

Their cousin Taj, who is still in high school, also occasionally joins them on the channel. The channel currently has 36.4K subscribers, but they haven't uploaded any new videos since March 2020.

Influencing His Brother Positively

Teaming up with his brother on the YouTube channel shows that Prince is a great brother. He takes it upon himself to mentor his younger brother, who has always been considered the shyest of the Jackson children.

Bigi kept a low profile on social media for years except for featuring on the pages of his siblings and extended family members. It's encouraging to see Prince positively influencing him and helping Bigi to come out of his shell. The brothers also revealed in their first video that they are huge fans of comic books and pizza.

Motown 60

When the Ryan Gordy Foundation marked 60 Years of Motown in 2019, Prince and Paris were some of the guests in attendance. The event was held at the Beverly Hills-based Waldorf Astoria, and the two siblings even made a speech together during the occasion.

Glenn also accompanied Paris on the occasion, and with one look at Paris's outfit, you can see some hints of the classic glamour that her father was known for. The two siblings regularly share photos on social media, showing just how close they are, and it all has to do with their upbringing.

Jackson's 60th Birthday

Like most of his fans, Prince and Paris take pride in celebrating their late father's birthday every year. In 2018, on what would have been his 60th birthday, they celebrated him by accepting the Elizabeth Taylor Legacy Award on Jackson's behalf. The award recognized Jackson's humanitarian efforts in collaboration with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.

For the event held at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Paris chose a hippie-inspired look for the occasion, while her brother chose a military-inspired jacket that looks like something his father would wear. Prince completed his look with custom sneakers bedazzled with the word "Tribute" on the soles.

Memories From The Past

Jackson's kids were still quite young at the time of his passing, and they never fully comprehended his relationship with the public. Paris recalls that the experiences were often difficult for her father.

She remembers how unhappy he was about the paparazzi encounters and how the world treated her father. Paris witnessed firsthand when law enforcement members raided the Neverland Ranch in 2003 amidst the physical assault allegations levied against her father. Despite the court finding him innocent, the experience still took a toll on her father and his family.

Christmas Every Day

When people say that they wish that every day was Christmas, the Jackson children lived that reality when living with their father at the Neverland Ranch. Jackson was also known for his over-the-top extravagance, such as keeping Christmas decorations up all year round.

Jackson grew up as a Jehovah's Witness, and they never celebrated Christmas. When his good friend Elizabeth Taylor introduced him to the holiday and its spirit, Jackson was hooked. It reportedly happened in 1993, and since then, the Neverland Ranch stayed Christmas-fied throughout their tenancy at the house.

Rides For Special Occasions

As previously mentioned, the Jackson kids could only enjoy the Neverland Ranch rides on the strict condition that they finish studying. Jackson didn't want to spoil his kids and allow them to go on the rides all day long, hence the strict rules. Likewise, there were rides that they could never go on unless it were a special occasion.

The Ferris wheel, roller coaster, and bumper cars were some of the rides set aside for special days. It could be birthdays, celebrating achievements, or Christmas, but those were some occasions when these rides were open to the children.

Worth $100 Million

The Jackson kids are also doing quite fine financially, even though most of them have only just started making strides in their respective career fields. Their father invested in half of the Beatles catalog of songs, and he also left his children a sizable inheritance.

They reportedly each receive $8 million annually, as disclosed by the Daily Mail. Other sources place their individual net worth at $100 million each. Given that they are all hard at work within the entertainment industry, the amount is likely to grow as they become more accomplished.

Bigi's First Home

By now, Bigi and his brother's YouTube channel is just one year old, and he hasn't quite revealed what career path he wants to follow. Early in 2020, he laid roots in Calabasas, California, in the same neighborhood he grew up under his grandmother's care.

Bigi reportedly spent $2.6 million on the gorgeous mansion, which comes with features like hardwood floors, three fireplaces, and a grand staircase. The house also comes with a pool and spa as well as a patio. Bigi also has celebrity neighbors like John Travolta and Dr. Dre.