Prince Michael Joseph Jackson II
Prince Michael Jackson II, also known as "Blanket", was born in La Mesa, California on February 21, 2002. He is the third and youngest child of the late Michael Jackson. The identity of Prince's biological mother is unknown. He was only seven years old when his father died on June 25, 2009. [1] His grandmother, Katherine Jackson, became his legal guardian. However, due to Katherine's advanced age (along with Michael and Paris leaving the nest as young adults), he is now under the supervision of his older cousin T.J. Jackson and attends private school in California. It was at the massive star-studded memorial for Jackson, held at Los Angeles' Staples Center, that the world really got their first look at the artist's children. Blanket, who sat in the front row with his siblings and grandparents, clutched a program and a Michael Jackson doll. Prince, Paris, and Blanket all had their own challenges adjusting to their new world without their dad, who’d been their constant companion.
Childhood
Jackson explained the moniker in an interview: "It's an expression I use with my family and my employees. I say, 'you should blanket me, you should blanket her with something—meaning, like, a blanket is a blessing. It's a way of us showing our love and caring."
Michael Jackson's relationship with fame was always complicated. Not only the biggest star in the world at one point, but also a childlike man who never had a chance to grow up properly after being shoved into the spotlight. His family's fortunes placed squarely on his inordinately talented shoulders, at barely 6 years old. Subsequently he wanted his own children to have a shot at a childhood.
Because of this, his children used masks to hide their identities when appearing in public. In a rare interview in November 2016, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (Prince Michael Jackson II's brother), told the Los Angeles Times the following: "My dad spoke to me like an adult. He told us the reason for the masks was he wanted us to have our own life without him."[2]
A famous photograph of Blanket was taken in 2002 when, at only 9 months old, Michael Jackson dangled him over a hotel balcony in Berlin. In an apparent attempt to connect with his fans gathered below, the singer had held the boy, using just one arm around the baby's waist. In response to public outrage over the incident, Jackson issued an apology. He said it was a "terrible mistake." He also stated: "I offer no excuses for what happened. I got caught up in the excitement of the moment. I would never intentionally endanger the lives of my children."[3]
Blanket Jackson’s Biological Father and Mother
He is probably the only biological child of the pop star, but no confirmation has ever been made. Debbie Rowe, the mother of Michael Jackson's other two children — Paris Michael Katherine and Michael Joseph "Prince" Jackson Jr. — publicly denied being Prince's biological mother.
During the 2003 documentary, Living With Michael Jackson, the pop legend opened up slightly about Blanket's mother. He told British journalist, Martin Bashir: "I used a surrogate mother with my own sperm cells… I had my own sperm cells with my other two children, they're all my children, but I used a surrogate mother. And, uh, she doesn't know me, I don't know her." Michael Jackson stated Blanket's mother was selected for her good vision, her intellect, and overall good health. He also revealed she is black.[4]
Blanket Jackson Today
While sources told People magazine that he had the hardest time of his siblings adjusting after his father’s death, he is now doing well. He is focusing on grades, sports, and spending time with his more than 30 cousins. Blanket lives with Katherine Jackson, who became his legal guardian along with siblings Michael Jr. and Paris, as dictated by Michael Jackson's will.
In 2015 several reports surfaced that Blanket no longer wished to be called by his nickname. Radar Online claimed that the young teen now wanted to be addressed as "Bigi." He took the name after being bullied for years for his "Blanket" moniker. He lives in Calabasas, California, and attends the Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, California.
Among the Jackson's kids, Blanket has generally stayed out of the spotlight. However, he, along with Michael Jr. and Paris, spoke to their father's fans during his funeral in 2009. Also, in January 2010, they accepted posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award for Michael Jackson at the Grammy Awards.
Blanket has stuck to just being a teenager and his family has helped him lead a private life. He is the one who got the closest to normal, and that's what his father wanted from the beginning.
- ↑ "Michael Jackson dead at 50 after cardiac arrest - CNN.com". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
- ↑ "Everything We Know About Blanket Jackson". E! Online. 2017-12-26. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
- ↑ "Michael Jackson Calls Baby-Dangling Incident A 'Terrible Mistake'". MTV News. Archived from the original on 2010-11-20. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
- ↑ "Things you don't know about Blanket Jackson". NickiSwift.com. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
References
This article "Prince Michael Joseph Jackson II" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Prince Michael Joseph Jackson II. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
