Who Is Prince Michael Jackson II?

Prince Michael "Blanket" Jackson is the third and youngest child of the late Michael Jackson. In 2015 he changed his name to Bigi Jackson. The identity of Prince's biological mother — a surrogate — is unknown. Jackson was seven years old when his father died on June 25, 2009.

Mother

The identity of Jackson’s biological mother, a surrogate, is unknown. He is the third child of pop legend Michael Jackson and allegedly the only biological child of the pop star, but no confirmation has ever been made.

Debbie Rowe, the mother of Michael's other two children — Paris Michael Katherine and Michael Joseph "Prince" Jackson — publicly denied being Blanket's biological mother, following his birth and subsequent media speculation regarding his conception.

Father’s Death

On June 25, 2009, Jackson's father, Michael, suffered cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles and died shortly thereafter. The pop star was 50 years old at the time of his death; Prince Michael Jackson II was seven.

Jackson's grandmother, Katherine Jackson, became his legal guardian, as well as the guardian of his siblings, Michael and Paris.

The three kids spoke to their father's fans during his funeral in 2009, and again in January 2010, accepting a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award for Michael Jackson at the Grammy Awards.

In February 2010, an official coroner's report on Michael's death was released, revealing that the singer had died from acute propofol intoxication. Aided by his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael had used the drug, among others, to help him sleep.

A police investigation revealed later that Murray hadn't been licensed to prescribe most controlled medications in California, and the doctor's actions as Michael's caretaker were subsequently further scrutinized. Murray was found guilty of homicide on November 7, 2011, receiving a four-year prison sentence.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Believing that A.E.G. Live — the entertainment company that promoted Michael Jackson's planned comeback concert, This Is It, in 2009 — had failed to effectively protect the singer while he was under Dr. Conrad Murray's care, the Jackson family decided to take legal action against the company. Katherine Jackson and Michael's three children officially filed a wrongful death lawsuit against A.E.G.

The trial began in April 2013. Lawyers sought up to $1.5 billion, an estimation of what Michael could have earned over the months since his death if he were still alive, in the case.

In October 2013, a jury determined that A.E.G. wasn't responsible for Michael's death. "Although Michael Jackson's death was a terrible tragedy, it was not a tragedy of A.E.G. Live's making," said Marvin S. Putnam, A.E.G.'s lawyer.

Blanket’s Name Change to Bigi

In 2015, several reports surfaced that Jackson no longer wished to be called by his nickname, "Blanket." Radar Online claimed that the young teen now wanted to be addressed as "Bigi." He took the name after being bullied for years for his "Blanket" moniker.

Bigi Jackson Today

Jackson lives in Calabasas, California. He attends the Buckley School, a private school in Sherman Oaks, California. Due to his grandmother's advanced age, along with siblings Michael and Paris leaving the nest as young adults, Jackson is now under the supervision of older cousin T.J. Jackson.

While sources told People magazine that he had the hardest time of his siblings adjusting after his father’s death, he is now doing well, focusing on grades and sports and spending time with his more than 30 cousins.

Among Michael's kids, Bigi has generally stayed out of the spotlight. However, he made a rare appearance at older brother Prince’s graduation from Loyola Marymount College in Los Angeles in May 2019.