Who Is Paris Jackson's Mom? 5 Details About Debbie Rowe
Paris and her mom have an interesting relationship, to say the least.
DFree | Shutterstock Paris Jackson has made quite a name for herself despite her famous family. As a model, actress, and singer, she's no stranger to the spotlight. However, she's been dealt a difficult hand in life, from trying to step out of her father's famous shadow and face the struggles after his death. In the trailer for the docuseries created by Paris and her boyfriend, she says, "You see a kid grow up in the public eye and forget that I am a human," as she is trailed by paparazzi.
Of course, we know all about her father, the King of Pop Michael Jackson, but not many know much about Paris Jackson's mom. Deborah Jeanne Rowe (Debbie) has had a complex relationship with her children and the Jackson family. Her relationship and marriage to Michael Jackson were unconventional, but there's a lot more to her than meets the eye. Debbie's recent involvement in her daughter’s life has gained traction with the media, and it seems they’re on their way to developing even closer ties.
Here are 5 details about Paris Jackson's mom, Debbie Rowe:
1. Rowe and Jackson met while he was being treated for vitiligo
The two connected through Arnold Klein’s dermatology office, where Jackson was receiving treatment and Rowe was working as a nursing assistant. They hit it off quickly after they met, though Jackson was about to wed Lisa Marie Presley, whom he married in 1994.
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Rowe claimed Jackson was devastated after he and Presley divorced in 1996, mostly because he feared he would never become a father. She then made a proposition that would change their lives forever: She said she would be willing to bear his children. Soon after, Rowe was pregnant with their first child. She and Jackson got married on November 14, 1996, in Sydney, Australia.
2. Rowe had two biological children with Jackson
Rowe is the mother of both Michael Joseph "Prince" Jackson Jr. and Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson. Prince is the couple’s only son, born on February 13, 1997. Rowe became pregnant again soon afterward and had Paris the following year on April 3.
“I believe there are people who should be parents, and he’s one of them,” Rowe had reportedly said. “And he is such a fabulous man, and such a good friend, and he’s always been there for me, always, from the day I met him.”
Jackson’s youngest son, Bigi "Blanket" Jackson, is not Rowe’s biological child — he is the son of Jackson and an unnamed mother. However, there is speculation that Michael Jackson actually isn't the biological father of any of his kids. Some believe that Rowe was simply a surrogate for Paris and Prince and that their true biological parents are unknown. Theories have been circulating since the late 2000s, with TMZ reporting that they had independently confirmed it in 2009 from "multiple sources deeply connected to the births." There is no official public record indicating whether these rumors are true.
3. Rowe and Jackson got divorced in 1999
Rowe wasn’t one for motherhood. She relinquished custody in the divorce, and in a 2001 hearing, she relinquished parental rights. "I did it for him to become a father, not for me to become a mother. You earn the title parent. I have done absolutely nothing to earn that title," she told the court.
As for being married to Jackson, she reportedly said she would’ve stayed with him — but the media got in the way. "Had it not been for all the media stuff, I would have stayed married to him forever unless he finally got tired of me,” she’d said.
Jackson was their children’s legal guardian until his death. Then, Katherine Jackson, Paris's grandmother and the matriarch of the family, took over until the court suspended her guardianship in 2012. Eventually, it was handed over to TJ Jackson, one of Michael Jackson’s nephews.
4. Rowe was involved in a few legal spats with Jackson and the family following the divorce
Following Jackson’s charges of child abuse in 2004, Rowe tried to reverse her revoked access to her children. She sued him for an immediate payment of $195,000 and a payment of $50,000 to pursue a child custody case. Jackson ended up being ordered to pay his ex-wife $60,000 in legal fees.
Rowe and Katherine Jackson avoided a full-on custody battle after Jackson’s passing in 2009. They quickly agreed that Katherine would be the guardian of Prince, Paris, and Bigi. Rowe, however, would have visitation rights with Prince and Paris.
Additionally, Rowe has been defending Jackson against other abuse allegations. Rowe claimed in an interview titled "The Debbie Rowe Interview: The Missing Tapes" that she did not see anything inappropriate happen. She stated, "I'm confused as to where people have come up with the decision, the blanket statement that it's inappropriate. It's because they have preconceived ideas that are absolutely incorrect. Period."
Jackson was cleared of all charges, but the rumors didn't stop after his death and the release of the documentary "Leaving Neverland." In this film, Wade Robson and James Safechuck recounted their alleged childhood experiences. Even with their testimonies, Rowe still vigorously denied these allegations.
5. Rowe was diagnosed with cancer in 2016
After a period of living her life away from the spotlight, Rowe publicly announced that she was battling breast cancer in the summer of 2016. In light of her diagnosis, she told Entertainment Tonight, “I’m a fighter and always have been.”
Paris and her mother had a rocky relationship throughout her life. The two had not been photographed together publicly since 2013. Before then, they had seldom been seen together since Paris was a baby.
Rowe's cancer diagnosis brought them closer together than ever, with Paris reportedly sticking by her side throughout chemotherapy and texting constantly. When Rowe's treatment ended in January 2017, Paris posted a heartwarming Instagram photo of the two that has since been removed, captioned "I'm a fighter because she's a fighter. Love you mom."
Alison Cerri is a former editorial intern at YourTango and is currently a Publicist at HarperOne Group.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally posted on April 3, 2019, and was updated with the latest information.
