How Michael Jackson’s Kids Are Keeping His Memory Close
Michael Jackson’s birthday brought two very different reminders of how deeply the late pop star continues to affect his children. While his oldest son, Prince Jackson, celebrated his father’s lasting…
Michael Jackson’s birthday brought two very different reminders of how deeply the late pop star continues to affect his children. While his oldest son, Prince Jackson, celebrated his father’s lasting influence, his daughter, Paris Jackson, used new music to make something else clear: not every part of grief belongs to the public.
On Saturday, Aug. 29, Prince appeared at Michael Jackson ONE at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, the Cirque du Soleil production built around his father’s greatest hits. The special appearance came as fans gathered to celebrate what would have been Michael Jackson’s 68th birthday.
For Prince, the occasion was also a chance to reflect on the renewed attention surrounding his father, especially following the release of the 2026 biopic Michael.
He shared with PEOPLE, “It has been so special for me to see the impact that this film has had.”
“It is really cool to see this new generation become exposed to his music and his message, and I am hopeful it will make the world a better place,” continued Prince, who was just 12 years old when the “Thriller” singer died in 2009.
That new generation is getting to know Michael Jackson through a movie that also has a very personal connection to the Jackson family.
Prince Sees His Cousin Become His Father
Michael stars Jaafar Jackson, Prince’s real-life cousin, as the King of Pop. Jaafar landed the role after a worldwide search for the actor who would portray Michael.
The cast also includes Colman Domingo as family patriarch Joseph Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson and Juliano Krue Valdi as the younger version of Michael.
Prince served as a producer on the film, giving him an unusually close look at the process of bringing his father’s story to the big screen.
During an interview with ABC News in April, Prince described the first time he saw Jaafar fully transformed into Michael as an emotional experience.
“The first time that I saw him in person, in his hair and makeup, was really an emotional shock because I had not seen my father in a long time,” he said. “Jaafar just embodied him, and brought him back in that moment.”
For Prince, it was not simply watching an actor play a famous musician. He was suddenly looking at someone who reminded him of his father.
Prince said he struggled to keep his emotions under control because Jaafar looked so much like Michael. The eldest Jackson son “really just wanted to give [Jaafar] a hug” and needed a moment to himself to take in what he was seeing.
That reaction says a lot about the unusual position Prince and his siblings have occupied. Millions of people remember Michael Jackson as a legendary performer, but for them, he was their dad.
Prince has also said that his family’s response to the movie has been “overwhelmingly positive,” with several relatives visiting during production.
“As family, we’re very supportive and every bit confident that Jaafar would perform, but I’m happy to say, I think that Jaafar greatly exceeded our expectations,” Prince told ABC News. “I am blown away by what he has done here.”
He added that seeing Jaafar portray his dad was “one of the greatest experiences” of his life.
Paris Jackson Draws Her Own Line
While Prince spoke publicly about celebrating his father’s legacy, Paris Jackson marked Michael’s birthday in a much more personal way.
Paris released new music featuring the songs “The Breeze” and “Just Me and You” as a double-single. But she quickly made one thing clear: the release was not intended to be a traditional tribute to her father.
In an Instagram caption announcing the songs, Paris Jackson pushed back on the idea that the timing should be read as a traditional tribute.
“it’s not a tribute. it’s not a commemoration. it’s not a demonstration of any kind,” she wrote. “it is a letter. it is a poem of the sonic variety. it is my honest experience — with love, loss, and para-social relationships vs a personal one.”
That distinction is important for Paris, who has spent much of her life dealing with intense public interest in her family, her grief and her connection to one of the most recognizable entertainers in history.
Her song gets even more direct about what it feels like to have private emotions constantly examined by strangers.
“Anything that’s real will leave them outraged and appalled,” she sings in the track. “Headless words’ll tell me that it’s all my fault / Hey, just for clicks, maybe it is.”
She continues by singing about protecting the pieces of her life that still belong to her.
“Keeping what I have left close to my heart / They’ll twist it and interpret it as something cold and stark.”
The song also addresses the way Michael’s name and legacy have remained part of public conversation long after his death. Paris delivers some of the track’s harshest words when she sings:
“Sucking on your bones is the final act / They ate you alive / Would you look at that? / Even in death, when there’s nothing left.”
By the end, the song becomes less about the public and more about the relationship between a daughter and her father.
“I’ll see you in my sleep / They won’t need to stare / It’s just you and me / There’s no need to keep them amused / Got nothing to prove when it’s me and you.”
Two Children, Two Ways to Remember
Prince and Paris are approaching their father’s legacy from different angles, but both perspectives make sense.
Prince is looking outward. He is excited that younger listeners are discovering Michael’s music and message, and he has embraced a film that introduces his father’s story to a new audience.
Paris is looking inward. Her new song is less about celebrating a public icon and more about describing what it feels like to lose someone while millions of other people still feel entitled to talk about them.
Michael Jackson was a global superstar, but to Prince, Paris and their younger brother, Bigi Jackson, he was family first.
That may be the biggest difference between remembering Michael Jackson as a fan and remembering him as a child. The world can replay the songs, watch the performances and debate the legacy. His children, however, carry memories that are far more personal.
And on a birthday that once again put Michael Jackson in the spotlight, his children offered two reminders that there is no single way to remember someone you love.
