Michael Jackson's complicated history with ex-wife Debbie Rowe, Prince and Paris' mom

15 years after Michael Jackson's untimely death aged 50 on June 25, 2009, his legacy is carried on not only through his legendary footprint on music history, but more personally, through his children, Prince , 27, Paris , 26, and Bigi , 22, who was formerly known as Blanket.

The "Thriller" singer first became a father on February 3, 1997, when he welcomed Prince, whose full name is Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., with Debbie Rowe , who he had married on November 15, 1996, in Sydney, Australia.

Michael's marriage to Debbie, when she was six months pregnant with their first child, came a year after he separated from his first wife, Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa Marie Presley , and came about unexpectedly and after an intriguing proposition.

Catch up on all we know below.

How did Michael and Debbie meet?

Michael met Debbie several years before they got married, as she was the assistant to his dermatologist, Arnold Klein , who started treating him for vitiligo in 1983. The two became friends, and further bonded in the wake of his divorce from Lisa Marie.

Debbie has since reflected, both in the 2003 documentary The Michael Jackson Interview: The Footage You Were Never Meant to See , and during testimony for his wrongful-death lawsuit, how Michael expressed to her that the hardest part of his divorce was his fear that he would never have children, and how she in turn offered to be the mother of his future kids.

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Relationship with her children

When Michael and Debbie divorced in April 2000, s he gave him full custody rights of Prince and Paris, and per the terms of their prenuptial agreement, she also received an $8 million settlement, which is equivalent to around $15 million today.

MORE: Michael Jackson's beaming son 'Blanket' is spitting image of late dad in rare new pictures

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The following year, she went one step further, requesting a judge to have her parental rights of the two terminated, however in 2004, after Michael was charged with ten counts of child abuse, she requested to have the decision reversed.

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When Michael died in 2009, the children — he welcomed Bigi in 2002 via surrogacy — went to live with his mother, Katherine Jackson, who became their guardian.

MORE: Michael Jackson's three children Paris, Blanket and Prince make rare joint appearance amid ongoing legal dramas

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The kids had a limited relationship with their mother throughout their childhood, though in 2021, during an appearance on Red Table Talk, Paris recalled reuniting with Debbie when she was 15 years old, in 2013, and developing a friendship with her.

MORE: Paris Jackson is radiant as she watches emotional tribute to dad Michael at Madonna tour

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"It's cool, getting to know her, seeing how similar we are, getting into what kind of music she really likes," she shared at the time, adding: "It's just cool having her as a friend."