Nanny army for Prince Jackson
2009-07-03 12:26
Los Angeles - Michael Jackson employed a "day team and night team" of nannies to look after his eldest son.
The 50-year-old pop icon - who died of a suspected cardiac arrest last week - was desperate to ensure Prince Michael was properly cared for after his birth in 1997, so hired 12 people to ensure someone was always with him.
"The baby was cared for by a team of six nannies and six nurses, who worked in shifts so that there were always two nurses and two nannies by his side," said a source who worked at Michael's Neverland Ranch.
"They were kept under constant video surveillance, which was monitored by members of Jackson's security team. The nannies all had special training. The day-team did exercise drills with the baby to build up his strength. The night-team read and sang to him."
Michael was reportedly so keen to maintain the wellbeing of his child he ordered the nannies to throw away the boy's toys each evening to guard against germs.
Had no mother
"We had to measure the air quality in his room once an hour. When we fed him, all the utensils had to be boiled and were all thrown away after a single use," a nanny said.
Prince Michael was the singer's first child with Debbie Rowe - their daughter Paris is now 11 - but it has been claimed Debbie had little to do with his upbringing.
Debbie - who gave custody rights to Michael in 2005, claiming he was a brilliant father - has previously stated she bore Michael's children as a "gift" to him, and despite recent allegations the kids were conceived using donor eggs and sperm she is adamant she is their mother.
However, it has been reported Michael took his son away from Debbie and returned to Neverland shortly after he was born.
"Six weeks later, the parents posed proudly for photographs with Prince - but it was the first time Debbie had seen the baby since giving birth, and the whole thing was a set-up," Author J Randy Taraborrelli claims in his book Michael Jackson: The Magic And The Madness.
"She was smuggled in for the occasion, given the infant to hold for the cameras - then sent on her way. She was essentially a surrogate and had no part in bringing him up."
"We never saw her. It was as if he had no mother," One of the Neverland staff reportedly commented.
Gave toys away
It has also been alleged Michael - who had a third child, Prince Michael II now 7, with an unknown surrogate - gave away many of his children's Christmas presents to stop them being spoilt, and refused to let them look in mirrors in case they became arrogant.
"Michael explained that he rationed the youngsters' toys and sent the presents they received as Christmas gifts from his fans to orphanages around the world. He taught them not to refer to any of their toys as 'mine' if friends were over. He wanted them to learn to share," said Taraborrelli.
"He didn't like his children to stand staring into a mirror for too long when getting ready. 'I look great,' young Prince once said as he combed his hair. 'No, you look okay,' Michael corrected him."