What was the King of Pop Michael Jackson really like as a father?
Prince Jackson - the oldest son of Thriller singer Michael Jackson - has revealed what life was like growing up as the child of the King of Pop at Neverland.
Michael Jackson was an “awesome” and “childlike” father who loved to play and connect with his children, according to his eldest son Prince Jackson.
The 29-year-old producer has opened up about growing up with the King of Pop at his Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara County, offering a rare insight into life with Michael before his death in 2009 at the age of 50.
Speaking on Australian TV show Sunrise, Prince said: “I would love to have kids and, you know, take notes on what he did as a father, but he was always on our level in a way.”
Prince explained that while his father wanted his children - who also include Paris Jackson and Prince Michael "Bigi" Jackson, formerly known as "Blankett" - to be treated like adults, he also embraced a playful, imaginative side when spending time with them.
Paris Jackson and Prince Jackson / Credit: Avalon
He said: “But when he played with us, he played with us. You know, he got down, and he was playing with the toys and making up stories.
“He just had a very childlike nature that was so much fun, always playing pranks on people and stuff.”
The Thriller hitmaker’s parenting style left a lasting impression on Prince, who described his upbringing as both magical and unusual.
He said: “As I've gotten older, I've learned that a lot of what I think is normal life is not normal life.
“Growing up at Neverland with my siblings and my father, for us, it was hanging out together as a family, but with the backdrop of elephants and giraffes walking in the background.
“We spent a lot of time playing board games together, reading books, watching movies. It truly was, and is, magical. It felt like your own personal Disneyland.”
Prince is currently promoting the new biopic Michael, which charts his father’s rise to fame and stars his cousin Jaafar Jackson - the son of Michael's brother Jermaine Jackson - in the title role. The film focuses on the early part of Jackson’s career and ends in 1988, before the child abuse allegations that later overshadowed his legacy.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael in the new biopic / Credit: Lionsgate
The project has drawn criticism from Dan Reed, director of the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, which featured allegations of abuse made by Wade Robson and James Safechuck. The claims have always been denied by the Jackson estate.
Dan said: “Why are they dancing around this? It's well-known that Jackson spent a long time with small-boy companions, including taking them into his bed at night and locking the door, which is undisputed - and that alone, if someone made a claim, is probably enough to convict him in a court of child sexual abuse – but with Jackson, none of this stuff seems to matter.”
Despite the criticism, Michael has performed incredibly well at the box office, with Reed suggesting the singer’s enduring cultural status plays a role in its success.
He said: “Jackson is an American myth, in addition to being an actual person, so he's metastasised into something much bigger than who he actually was.”
