As unusual as it might have looked from the outside, Paris Jackson's childhood—and the values that came with it—felt normal to her, though in hindsight she's realized that she didn't have an average upbringing.
"It was difficult, a blessing, a privilege to be able to experience so much at a young age," Michael Jackson's only daughter explained to Naomi Campbell in a 2021 chat on the supermodel's No Filter With Naomi series. "And my dad was really good about making sure we were cultured, making sure we were educated, and not just showing us, like, the glitz and glam, like hotel-hopping five-star places. But it was also like, we saw everything. We saw third-world countries and we saw, like, every part of the spectrum."
Her father died in 2009, when Paris was 11, thrusting her into the spotlight and setting her course as a person of vast public interest, ages before most kids would have the tools to cope with such a burden.
She admittedly struggled, but her eyes-wide-open approach to life has served her well as she's come into her own as an artist. And the 26-year-old's latest bit of news, couched in a carousel of Instagram pics, was of the happiest variety: She's engaged to her boyfriend of two years, songwriter and producer Justin Long.
"Happy birthday my sweet blue," she captioned a post that included a shot of Justin getting down on one knee. "Doing life with you these last years has been an indescribable whirlwind and i couldn’t dream of anyone more perfect for me to do it all with. thank you for letting me be yours. i love you."
Per the photographic evidence, the couple have been making the most of their two years together, but have kept their relationship off the grid of public consumption.
While she's made her own name as a model, musician and activist, Paris has had an understandably prickly relationship with fame. She capped off a tribute for what would have been Michael's 65th birthday last year with, "Please don't use a man you have never met as an excuse to abuse, manipulate, and harass his daughter (who you also have never met)."
As such, Paris' early life as the globetrotting child of one of the most famous—and endlessly scrutinized— entertainers on the planet gave her and older brother Prince Jackson, 27, a heightened awareness of just how often what people think they know doesn't necessarily match up with what's really happening behind closed doors.
"I knew afterward there was gonna be plenty of s--t-talking, plenty of people questioning him and how he raised us," Paris told Rolling Stone in 2017, recalling what motivated her to speak out about how wonderful her dad was during the star-studded memorial held for him at Staples Center in Los Angeles in 2009. "That was the first time I ever publicly defended him, and it definitely won't be the last."
Prince told the magazine that his sister, in that moment, proved she had "more strength than any of us."
Paris explained, "Nobody but my brothers and I experienced him reading A Light in the Attic to us at night before we went to bed. Nobody experienced him being a father to them. And if they did, the entire perception of him would be completely and forever changed."
She said that their father didn't try to hide from them the pain caused by the unsavory things people said about him.
"He did not bulls--t us," Paris said. "You try to give kids the best childhood possible. But you also have to prepare them for the s--tty world."
Prince, Paris and their now-22-year-old brother Bigi Jackson, who was 7 when their dad died, are aware of the most disturbing stories about their dad, including what was alleged in the 2019 HBO docuseries Finding Neverland.
But as protectors of his legacy, as well as the only keepers of the memories of the relatively short time they had with their dad, the siblings have never wavered in their view of who was out to get whom.
Paris acknowledged in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2012 that Michael "had his doubts" that his own kids could have a so-called normal life.
"He told us that when he was younger, he didn't really have a childhood. Like, he would be stuck in the studio, singing while all the other kids were out playing. And he wanted us to have that. So a lot of times, we'd go to Chuck E. Cheese. Chuck E. Cheese and Toys R' Us were our favorite places to go."
After Michael died, his three kids went to live with their grandmother Katherine Jackson, but cousin T.J. Jackson, one of three sons belonging to Michael's brother Tito Jackson, was named their co-guardian in 2012. Bigi—born Prince Michael Jackson II and formerly known as Blanket before he started going by his preferred moniker in 2015—remained under T.J.'s care as a minor.
In May 2019 the brothers reviewed Avengers: Endgame online with cousin Taj Jackson and pal James Sutherland. Not only was Bigi's encyclopedic knowledge of comic book lore on full display, it was the most anyone outside his private world had ever heard the teen talk.
The brothers explored Tokyo together with T.J. and his wife and kids toward the end of 2018 and, in December 2019, an even bigger group that included Prince's longtime girlfriend and fellow Loyola Marymount University graduate Molly Schirmang, went to Rome, where they made stops at the Coliseum and the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.
While Prince has kept Molly's name out of his captions, he has celebrated her over the years on his Instagram, marking their five-year anniversary in March 2022 with photos captioned, "Lots of trips, miles, smiles, meals, desserts and all kinds of adventures in between. Love you babs." (Us Weekly reported in April that the private couple were still going strong.)
Philanthropy running in the Jackson family, Prince co-founded the Heal Los Angeles Foundation, inspired by his father's Heal the World Foundation, to help at-risk youth by improving access to educational opportunities and enriching extra-curricular activities.
Dressed as Christmas Vacation-mode Clark Griswold, Prince told ET at the foundation's "Thriller Night" costume benefit in October 2019, "I feel like the world is my oyster. I have so many opportunities. I feel like my time is best devoted to the non-profit right now because that's where my passion lies and that's where I feel I will get the most out of my life."
In November 2019, he and Paris joined the Motown 60th anniversary celebration at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills.
Prince sang his model sister's praises on Instagram, writing, "I don't always dress up...but when I do it's with my gorgeous sister @parisjackson. Stay classy my friends." The Alexander McQueen-clad siblings also did a behind-the-scenes video for Vogue together, Paris having quickly become a sought-after presence on the fashion circuit (which she remains to this day).
"I think of my childhood when I hear the word Motown," Paris said. "I grew up listening to that, so it makes me think of family."
At the "Thriller Night" party in October 2019, Prince called his bond with his siblings a "very raw, unfiltered relationship," since truly no one else can identify with what their earliest years were like as Michael Jackson's kids, and they "100 percent understand you."
"And especially," he told Access Hollywood, "you know, when there's a lot of people who may not have the best intentions for you, it's very easy to get caught up in a lot of fake personalities, so I think it's only made us stronger as siblings to have that bond, to have that very real relationship and raw relationship with each other, that we know it's always love."
While she was on that side of the Atlantic in 2019, Paris walked in Jean-Paul Gaultier's farewell couture show, along with a who's-who of high fashion including Gigi and Bella Hadid, Karlie Kloss and Irina Shayk.
Asked what compelled her to participate, Paris told British Vogue's "Miss Vogue," "Of course it was a no-brainer. I was, and am, absolutely honored."
And not one to trade on her name or otherwise assume she has a leg up on the competition, she gave it her all during rehearsals for the show.
"I was very nervous during the casting, but once I had the final look on it felt pretty natural," Paris recalled. "I had been doing a few walks for Jean Paul when he said, 'I'll see you tomorrow.' I almost screamed out of excitement, as that was his way of letting me know I got it. The whole experience is one I'll never forget."
She was also nervous right until showtime, "but once I stepped out there, all the anxiety faded away," the singer added. "The rush I got afterwards was similar to the one I get when I get off stage after performing with my band."
When Naomi suggested in 2021 that Paris was too famous to have to go through a casting call for a modeling job ("They know who you are," the veteran catwalker observed), Paris thought that was sweet but quickly added, "I'm also a full believer that I should earn everything...I go to auditions, I work hard, I study scripts, I do my thing."
In the Jackson household, it was "about earning it," she explained, "not just being entitled to certain things or thinking, 'Oh, I got this.' It's like, working for it, working hard for it. It's an accomplishment."
Paris had also started pursuing her own music career as half of the singer-songwriter duo The Soundflowers (with her then-boyfriend, Gabriel Glenn), a source telling E! News that performing is "when she truly shines and is in a good place."
After beginning 2019 with a stint in treatment to work on her mental health, there were rumors that she was having a hard time in the wake of the Leaving Neverland premiere.
To which she replied on Twitter: "There's no meltdown, no 'losing s--t,' or being demanding of anyone. Please don't believe what you read."
In 2020, Paris opened an unprecedented window into her private life with the Facebook Watch series Unfiltered: Paris Jackson & Gabriel Glenn, which, despite its title, mainly focused on Paris' search for answers as to why things are the way they are (for instance, she consults an Akashic reader, as well as an astrologer). The August 4 episode then revealed the unraveling of her romantic relationship with Gabriel, whom she called "one of her many soulmates."
However, she explained, "I don't think soulmates are specifically just romantic partners. In one life Gabe was probably my daughter. And in another life he was probably my grandpa, and then in another life he was probably my worst enemy."
Along with her big brother being a constant in her life, Paris has had unwavering support from her godfather Macaulay Culkin, who was only 17 when she was born but was already extremely familiar with the pitfalls of fame coming at a young age.
They got matching spoon tattoos on their inner forearms in 2017 after Culkin turned her onto stealing the occasional spoon from restaurants.
"It's harmless," the now 44-year-old father of two assured Esquire in its March 2020 issue. "It's a harmless thing. It's not like you're ruining something, like stealing a chess piece, where the board would be incomplete."
Culkin used the flatware heists as a metaphor in some advice he gave to Paris, telling her when the going got tough, "Don't forget to be silly, don't forget to take something away from this whole experience, and don't forget to stick something up your sleeve."
The spoon is Culkin's only tattoo, but Paris has many, several to honor her dad—as does Prince, who in 2017 unveiled one of Michael mid-dance move, dressed in a suit and signature fedora and sporting wings, encircling his right calf.
While it didn't work out with Gabe, Paris continued making music, cranking out her solo debut album during quarantine in between sharing snippets of inspiration and photos of her dog and cat, the bundles of fur never far from her side in her warmly decorated enclave.
The pandemic has "given me a lot of time to let my creativity kind of, just, do its thing," she told Naomi in 2021. "Especially toward the end of this lockdown, figuring out a smooth transition into working again with the film and fashion industry...figuring out how to maneuver that in a safe way." (Which she did, shooting the eyebrow-raising movie Habit, appearing in American Horror Stories, and posing for a sustainable fashion campaign for Stella McCartney, who dressed the model in plant-based garments made from a leather-reminiscent fabric containing mycelium, which comes from mushrooms.)
As for her album, Wilted, "It kind of just happened...The songs kind of just all came out," Paris said. So she went to a studio to lay the tracks down "and thanks to lockdown, my heroes"—Andy Hull and Robert McDowell of Manchester Orchestra—"were actually available to record with me. Normally they're on tour or working on their own stuff."
Paris explained that, while she loves fashion, she was advised that getting into modeling would be a way to quickly grow her platform so that she could reach more people on issues that are important to her.
Asked if she planned on doing more acting or singing as well, she replied, "I just want to always go with the flow. I love them both for very different reasons. There's definitely part of me that feels a little more alive when I'm acting, but music will always be number one."
Music, after all, is in her blood. "I feel like every part of my childhood will always influence who I am today," Paris said, "whether it's experiences or all of the music we listened to."
In fact, she said in April that the new music she was working on was so personal, it might "be hard for some people to hear."
Because, Paris explained on Jade Iovine's Live From Bed podcast, "what I'm talking about is a lot of touchy things."
She noted that, "in terms of the songwriting aspect, it's still the same acoustic folk approach that I always take when I'm writing," but she was digging deeper than ever. (Though she notably did not mention Justin, who is also a creative force in her life.)
While she tended toward more abstract lyrics, the goal this time, she shared, was to "make something a little more specific.'"
See more scenes from Paris’ story, so much of which she shared with her siblings:
Rare Red Carpet Appearance
Prince, Paris and Bigi attend the red carpet for the opening night of MJ: The Musical in March 2024.
Winning Awards
Bigi appears with his brother Prince and friends at the Santa Monica Film Festival in February 2024. Michael's youngest son had won the award for Best Drama for his short film Rochelles, his directorial and screenwriting debut.
Happy Halloween
Prince and Bigi appear at their family's annual Thriller Night celebration in 2022.
Diamond Birthday Celebration
Prince and Paris attend the Michael Jackson Diamond Birthday Celebration at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
All Glammed Up
Prince and Paris appear together at the 2022 Harold and Carole Pump Foundation Gala at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. in August 2022.
Brother & Sister
Prince and Paris appear in a YouTube video in 2021.
Brothers' Night Out
Prince and Bigi appear at their family's annual Thriller Night celebration in 2019.
Strike a Pose
The two pose at Prince Jackson's Heal LA and TLK Fusion Present The 2nd Annual Costume For A Cause at Jackson Family Home on Oct. 27, 2017.
Sibling Love
Walking hand-in-hand, the two attend the mothers2mothers and The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation Benefit Dinner on October 24, 2017 in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Family Photo
Prince wrote, "It was an honor to be a part of @officialsiggyjackson wedding with my sis @parisjackson."
Silly Time
The sibling showed off their silly side over the summer on Instragram.
Step and Repeat
The trio of siblings arrived at the Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour in Los Angeles on January 27, 2012.
Hand in Hand
Prince and Paris attend the hand and footprint ceremony at Graumann's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles January 26, 2012.
Honoring Dad
Bigi, Prince Jackson and Paris appear together at the hand and footprint ceremony.
Meet the Press
The duo stood together as they attended the press conference for Goin' Back To Indiana: Can You Feel It at the Majestic Star Hotel Lakeshore Ballroom on August 29, 2012 in Gary, Indiana.
No Hoosiers Here
On Aug. 30, 2012, the siblings attended the St. Paul Saints Vs. The Gary SouthShore RailCats baseball game at U.S. Steel Yard in their father's hometown of Gary, Indiana.
Dad's Memorial
The trio appeared on stage during the memorial service for their father at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on July 7, 2009.
Birthday Tribute
The kids celebrate together with dad in this throwback pic shared by Prince.
Family Memories
Prince shared this family photo on what would have been Michael's 64th birthday on Instagram.
Jackson Family
Prince, Paris and Bigi, then nicknamed Blanket, appear with their dad in this throwback pic the eldest of his children shared on what would have been his 64th birthday in 2022.
(Originally published Feb. 13, 2020, at 3 a.m. PT)