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The battle for custody of Michael Jackson's three children began today — between their grandmother and their nanny.
Since his death there has been speculation about who will take care of Prince Michael, 12, Paris Katherine, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II, also known as Blanket.
“Michael's mother Katherine wants the kids,” said Stacey Brown, family friend and co-author of Michael Jackson Behind the Mask. “But Michael always said he wants Grace Rwaramba, the nanny, to have them if something happened to him.”
Miss Rwaramba, 42, who has worked for Jackson for nearly two decades, started as an office assistant. Those close to Jackson said that over time she has taken an increasingly central role in the lives of Jackson and his children who reportedly call her “mom”.
She and Jackson were even rumoured to be considering marriage in 2006 and last year she testified in Jackson's defence during a breach-of-contract trial brought by a Middle Eastern sheik against the singer.
During Jackson's child molestation trial in 2005, his parents Joe and Katherine revealed they were concerned officials would attempt to take away the children. They offered to adopt the children, should the singer lose custody. According to Ms Brown, the parents are again looking to adopt.
“Michael's wishes were known. He wants Grace to have the kids. They love her,” Ms Brown said. “If the kids had the choice I think they'd pick Grace.”
Jackson was in regular contact with his mother but had a notoriously contentious relationship with his father.
Following his acquittal in the molestation trial, Jackson, Miss Rwaramba and the children moved to Bahrain and then later to Ireland. She became his gatekeeper, screening his phone calls.
A source close to his family said Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe is expected to receive initial custody of her two children, Prince Michael and Paris Katherine, but her lawyer refused to say whether she would try to make this permanent. Prince Michael II was conceived using a surrogate mother, whose identity has not been disclosed.
Meanwhile, the grief-stricken family told of their heartache as they struggled to come to terms with the news.
Jermaine Jackson said it was a “tough time” for the family and told of his love for his “legendary” brother. He said doctors and paramedics had spent an hour trying to revive the star.
Jackson's parents Katherine and Joe, brothers Jermaine, Tito and Randy and sisters Janet and LaToya rushed to his bedside last night to say their farewells after he fell into a coma.
Today they were consoling one another at the family home in Encino, California.
Jermaine said: “My brother the legendary King of Pop Michael Jackson passed away on Thursday June 25 2009 at 2.26pm.
“Our family requests that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time and may we be with you Michael always.
“Love you.”
As Jackson's body was being airlifted from UCLA hospital, his mother Katherine and sister LaToya were photographed leaving, wearing dark glasses and clearly deeply distressed.
Michael's children — Prince Michael, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael II (sometimes known as Blanket) — are said to be with the rest of the family.
The life of Michael Jackson - in pictures
His father Joe had been in Las Vegas, and Janet flew in from a film shoot. LaToya was seen running into the hospital sobbing.
Jackson's ex-wives Debbie Rowe and Lisa Marie Presley also told of their shock at his death.
Ms Rowe, mother of two of Jackson's three children — Prince, Michael, 12, and Paris, 11, — was said to be “inconsolable”.
Prince Michael II is the child of a surrogate mother.
Ms Presley, whose father Elvis died from an overdose of prescription drugs in 1977 aged 42, said she was “heartbroken” for his children.
“I am so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. Words fail me,” she added in a statement.
Jackson was born the seventh of nine children in Gary, Indiana. He was particularly close to his 79-year-old mother Katherine, who defended him throughout the Nineties and in the child abuse trial in 2005.
Insiders spoke of her “utter devastation” at the loss of a child whom she cared for throughout his addiction to prescription drugs.
Reader views (1)
the children of the pop can talk,so they should ask them to choose between the nanny and their ground mother.
- Betty, Belgium, 02/07/2009 08:00
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