Michael Jackson is one of the biggest legends in music history but sadly he passed away at 50 years old in 2009, leaving three young children behind to face the public glare.
It might be a shocking pill to swallow, but all three of MJ’s kids are now fully grown adults. His eldest, Michael “Prince” Jackson Jr. is 24, his daughter Paris Jackson is 23, and his youngest son, Bigi Jackson (formerly known as Blanket) is now 19.
Jackson welcomed the eldest two Paris and Prince with his second wife Debbie Rowe, and Bigi through a surrogate, but Michael raised all of the children on his own – along with the help of nurses at Neverland Ranch.
All three of the Jackson kids have gone on to different paths depending on how much they want to remain in the spotlight, with some finding fame whilst others have been keen to stay out of the spotlight entirely.
Daily Star has taken at what the late singer’s offspring are up to nowadays to mark what would have been the late singer’s 63rd birthday.
Michael Joseph ‘Prince’ Jackson Jr
The oldest of Jackson’s three children, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr was born on February 13, 1997, and as a baby was nicknamed Prince.
Prince Jackson has appeared on various TV shows throughout his life, and even aspired to become a TV presenter at one point and starred as a guest correspondent on Entertainment Tonight.
In 2010, Prince and his sister Paris accepted their father’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010 Grammy Awards.
The 24-year-old has admitted that he didn’t inherit his father’s moves, once telling the Today show: “I didn’t get that gene.”
Rather than follow in his father’s footsteps, Prince decided to study business and graduated from Loyola Marymount University in 2019.
In a recent interview with Fox Soul, Prince said: “If I did [think of becoming an artist], my family would be very honest and tell me that it’s not for you. I don’t have the voice for singing and it took me a while to learn what a beat was, but I got that down at least. I just can’t dance.”
Prince has instead focused his efforts on charity work and co-founded Heal Los Angeles Foundation when he was in college, which helps provide meals to those in need.
The star has been in a relationship with his girlfriend Molly Schirmang for four years after meeting at university.
He is also a big motorcycle fanatic and often posts updates about his hobby on social media.
Paris Jackson
Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born on April 3, 1998, and named after the city where she was conceived.
Like her older brother Prince, Paris’ godparents were A-listers Elizabeth Taylor and Macaulay Culkin.
Paris, 23, hits the headlines the most out of the trio after choosing to opt for a more spotlight secure career, becoming both a musician and a model.
She is one half of musical duo The Soundflowers, where she sings under the name “PK Dragonfly.”
After she graced the January 2017 Rolling Stone cover, Paris signed a contract with IMG Models and has also got her teeth into acting.
MJ’s daughter appeared in Fox’s Star and in movies like Gringo and The Space Between.
Music is her main focus at the moment, with Paris releasing her debut album Wilted in late 2020 to critical acclaim.
Paris has also been very open with the media and her fans about her struggles over the years, including substance use disorder and self-harm.
In a 2020 interview with NPR, she said she came to the realization that people would pre-judge her because of who she is and that she can’t make everyone happy.
The star also tried to take her own life “many times” and revealed she used self-harm as a “distraction from emotional pain”.
She told the publication: “It took a really long time for me to finally get to a point where I’m like, OK, well, can’t please everyone. If I go left, I’m wrong. If I go right, I’m wrong. So I might as well just be myself.”
Prince Michael ‘Blanket’ Jackson II
Prince Michael II was known famously by the nickname ‘Blanket’, but in 2017 he revealed that after years of bullying, he now prefers to be known as ‘Bigi’.
In 2017, his uncle Tito Jackson became his sole guardian, after his grandmother, Katherine Jackson, turned 87.
Bigi was born on February 21 2002 to an unnamed surrogate mother and is mainly known for the moment when his father dangled him over a balcony railing in Berlin.
Now aged 19, Bigi attends Buckley School and reportedly enjoys martial arts and video gaming.
Bigi has opted for a way more private than that of his siblings and any information about him has usually come either through his famous family members.
His siblings have posted about Bigi on their own social media with Paris wishing him a happy birthday in February 2020.
Paris shared a series of photos and captioned the post: “my little brother is a legal adult today. what the f***. i used to change his diapers. this is such a trip. proud of the handsome, intelligent, insightful, funny, and kind young man he has become. he likes privacy so that’s all i gotta say. hbd lil bro.”
In March 2020, Today also reported that Bigi had purchased a stunning $2.6 million home in Calabasas, California.
The youngest sibling also revealed he wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps and direct his own material.
He previously said: “He was a good dancer, he was a very good dancer. I can’t dance or sing…
“I’m not that kind of person who sings and dances…
“When I grow up I want to be a director because it’s fun, and I make little movies when I’m at my house with cousins and friends and different things.
“He [dad] said it would be a good thing so follow whatever you want to do.”
