Perhaps Debbie Rowe could pull petals off a daisy to make this most important decision.
Rowe, in a phone conversation with NBCLA’s Chuck Henry, stated that she definitely wants custody of the two children she bore for Michael Jackson.  Later, there was an on air phone call from Rowe’s attorney, Eric George, saying that contrary to what she said in the conversation with Henry she was, as yet, undecided.
Her attorney won a postponement of the guardianship hearing which was to take place on July 13.  The hearing has been delayed for at least a week, which will, of course, drag out the final decision of who will be given the guardianship of the three young Jackson children.  As if there wasn’t already enough turmoil in their lives.
According to Henry, after Rowe and Jackson were divorced, Rowe surrendered her parental rights but appealed that decision after Jackson was arrested in 2003 on charges of child molestation.  That would seem to indicate that she may have been concerned about the safety of the children, but evidently she didn’t seek permanent custody of them.  Also, according to Henry, Rowe and Jackson settled out of court in 2006.  Part of the agreement allowed Rowe visitation rights.  She admits that she has seen little of the children over the years.
What will be the fate of these children?  Being separated, with the two oldest going to a woman who they don’t really know?  Even though Rowe states she would be “willing” to take Blanket, too, there would be little chance of that happening.
In his will, Jackson requested his mother be given custody of all three children if she was still alive at the time of his death,  In the event she was deceased, he wanted long-time friend Diana Ross, age 65, to be their legal guardian.  While Katherine appears to be a devoted, loving grandmother and someone the children have spent much time with, her age, 79, raises the question as to how long will she be alive and able to care for them and what happens if that changes?

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Jackson Kids Masked

Jackson Kids Unmasked

It is plain to see that Michael Jackson’s children Michael Joseph, Jr. 12 or “Prince Michael, Paris Michael Katherine 11, “Paris” and Prince “Blanket” Michael II, 7, have lead far from normal lives.  But, it seems certain their lives are going to become more chaotic.
Jackson and Debbie Rowe, the mother of the two oldest children, were married in 1996.  Rowe was six months pregnant at the time.   The couple were divorced in 1999 and Rowe, after a long custody battle, relinquished all parental rights to Jackson in exchange for, among other considerations, a $1 million home in Beverly Hills.  At one time she stated the reason she had the children was “so he could become a father”.  Further, Rowe was asked in court during the custody trial if she had considered what would happen to the children if Jackson died and her answer was “I’m sure he’s…he has a wonderful person in mind to take care of them”.  Also asked if she understood that she had no right to care for the children she stated, “No. And I don’t want to.  and…not that I don’t love them.  I do.  I think they’re adorable.  They’re his kids.  They’re his kids.  They’re not my kids.  They’re his kids”. That pretty much sums up her position.
”Blanket’s” mother was a surrogate and would have signed a surrogacy agreement.  Surrogacy agreements contain a clause stating the surrogate will not attempt to have any relationship with the child unless the child requests it when at an age to make an informed decision.
There are also questions as to whether Jackson is actually the biological father of the three children.  TV journalist Diane Diamond alledges she knows the identity of the real sperm donor but doesn’t want to reveal the information.  In support of her statement she points to the fact that all three children are fair skinned and blue eyed.
There are three likely possibilities as to who will be given custody.  One would be the Jackson family.  They would be the people the children would most identify, and be identified, with.  If a member or members of the Jackson family are given guardianship of them, the children would remain together which would be crucial to their well-being and sense of stability.
A second possibility would be Rowe.  If she has any legal rights at all, they would only apply to Prince Michael and Paris.  That would mean they would be separated from Blanket, a step a court would be extremely hesitant to take.
The third possibility is that Jackson has named a guardian for his children in his will.  That person, or persons, would be the most likely one(s) to be granted custody of all three children.
These children obviously need to be in a stable, loving home.  The question remains, whose home would that be and how soon would that happen.  Hopefully a quick and amicable decision will be made.

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