Michael Jackson’s rarely-seen son Prince leads emotional tribute 17 years after his death

Michael Jackson’s eldest son, Prince Jackson, made a rare public appearance over the weekend as he joined hundreds of fans to celebrate what would have been his late father’s 68th birthday.

The 29-year-old stepped out in Las Vegas on Saturday, August 29, for a special celebration at Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson ONE show at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Video footage from the event showed Prince standing among a packed crowd of Michael’s fans before raising his right hand in the air and joining them in shouting: “Happy birthday, Michael!”

Prince appeared in high spirits as he chatted to fans, posed for photographs and appeared to sign autographs during the event. He kept things casual in an all-black ensemble comprising a polo shirt, shorts and a backwards baseball cap.

The annual celebration included a fan reception and a special Q&A with guests selected by Michael’s estate ahead of two performances of Michael Jackson ONE, the long-running Cirque du Soleil production inspired by the King of Pop’s music and legacy.

Prince Jackson keeps his father’s memory alive

The appearance was particularly poignant given Prince’s previous comments about continuing to celebrate his father after his death.

Michael died on June 25, 2009, aged 50, when Prince was just 12 years old. Yet his eldest son has remained closely involved in preserving the singer’s extraordinary legacy.

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“As long as you celebrate them, they’re never gone,” Prince told Entertainment Tonight in 2022 when discussing his father’s death.

That philosophy was certainly evident on Saturday as Prince stood surrounded by fans still celebrating Michael’s music 17 years later. The Thriller singer would have turned 68 on August 29.

Prince’s deeply personal tribute to Michael

It isn’t the first time this year that Prince has publicly honored his father. In April, he attended the Los Angeles premiere of the Michael Jackson biopic Michael, on which he served as an executive producer.

For the emotional occasion, Prince incorporated an incredibly personal piece of his father’s wardrobe into his own outfit.

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His black suit was created by Michael Bush, one of Michael’s longtime costume designers, while the red armband Prince wore was fashioned from fabric taken from one of his father’s red corduroy shirts.

“And actually, the armband was made out of the fabric that my dad would always wear, the red corduroy shirt,” Prince explained to ABC News.

He added of the childhood memory attached to the material: “If I hugged my father, that was what he was wearing.”

Prince also brought children from his Heal Los Angeles Foundation to the premiere, with each wearing a red armband as another nod to Michael.

‘One of the most misunderstood people’

Prince has become increasingly candid about his memories of his father following the release of Michael, which stars his cousin Jaafar Jackson as the pop superstar.

Speaking to ABC News earlier this year, Prince said the aim of the film was to allow audiences to see another side of the man behind one of the most famous names in music.

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He described his father as “probably one of the most misunderstood people out there” and revealed that watching Jaafar transform into Michael for the film prompted an “emotional shock.”

Prince is the eldest of Michael’s three children. His sister Paris Jackson is 28, while younger brother Bigi is 24.

Paris marked their father’s birthday in her own deeply personal way this weekend, releasing new music featuring a previously unheard recording of Michael’s voice telling his daughter: “Love you, Paris.”