Michael Jackson’s eldest son, Prince Jackson, made his British television debut on today’s This Morning and it’s safe to say viewers were stunned.
As the King of Pop’s son opened up about what it was like to have a famous father, and why he wants to carry on his dad’s legacy of ‘healing the world’, viewers went into a frenzy on Twitter over the handsome 20-year-old.
One viewer who was watching the interview tweeted: “Wow #princeJackson has grown up to be kind, thoughtful, articulate, intelligent and really kinda hot.”
Another said: “What a lovely young man @princemjjjaxon is. Obviously following in his dad’s footsteps to just be kind in life.”
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Other viewers also found Prince to be quite the dashing young man, as one said: “Prince Jackson is beautiful omg what.”
While another tweeted: “Prince Jackson on this morning was so lovely I’ve literally fallen in love.”
This Morning hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby questioned Prince on what Michael was like as a parent. Prince replied: “To me he is the greatest parent, as role model, as an inspiration, as a motivator.
“To me and my siblings he’s our rock and foundation.”
He added: “He told us to be kind – do to others as you would have done to yourself. He told us to lead by example.”
And then the question that everyone wanted to know the answer to – was Prince aware as a child how hugely famous his dad was? Prince said he had no idea of his dad’s fame until he was nine years old. Michael tragically died in 2009 when Prince was only 12.
He explained: “I thought it was kind of normal at first and then we started seeing videos of him performing when we were younger, like nine or ten. And then people were fainting and passing out over him.”
He continued to talk about his dad with great fondness when he recalled visiting London with him as a child. He said: “One time we were at the Dorchester Hotel, there were lots of fans outside who were singing and chanting Michael Jackson chants.
“My dad then sent hot chocolate and pizza from room service out to these people.”
In complete opposition to the worldwide fame his dad achieved, Prince admitted he chooses to stay away from the limelight and prefers to be as private as possible.
He told Phil and Holly: “I’m a very a private person and I only reveal what I like to reveal. That’s why I decided to go into production so I’m still behind the camera.”
But much like Michael himself, Prince wants to carry on his Heal The World charity and continue his legacy of helping those in need. When Holly asked him to explain this Prince responded: “For him, his humanitarian work was more important than music.
“Music was an art and he enjoyed it, but he used it as platform to get message across. He wanted to heal the world.
“Heal LA focuses on child hunger, abuse and homelessness in LA area. You don’t need to be a pop star, you can make a difference by going out there.”
Prince took a liking to film production when he was little and he revealed that his dad hired someone to teach him the ropes at a young age. He said: “When I was younger he hired a professor who taught us framing, shots, composition, differed tracking shots.
“He would turn the sound off on movies to show the importance of soundtrack and the visual aspect of the film.”
Far from flaunting his success at his children, the King of Pop didn’t show Prince and his siblings his own music videos very often. He continued: “He was extremely humble and he didn’t really like us watching his videos.
“He did show them to us and we did get to talk about them, but when it came to Thriller he scared us a lot. He’d be messing around with us and say ‘it’s a full moon tonight’.”
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Michael Jackson also had two other children, Paris, 19 and Prince Michael Jackson II, 15, who was affectionately nicknamed Blanket from a young age. Prince said it’s important that he remains close with his siblings as he explained: “When my dad raised us he said ‘no matter who you have in your life, it’s the three of you in this room that are gonna matter’.
“He would be proud of actions me and my sister have taken.”
The interview came to a lighthearted end when Prince shockingly revealed that he “can’t sing or dance” as he said: “I’ve tried and it’s embarrassing!” Aw, what a sweetheart.
Prince and Paris share the same mother, Debbie Rowe, who Michael was married to from 1996 to 1999, while Blanket’s mother was a surrogate and is unknown to the public.