Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe are not the biological parents of any of the pop icon's children, a new report claims.
Speculation has long been rife about the true parentage of Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and Prince Michael II, seven, who are now in the care of Jackson's mother Katherine following the singer's death on Friday.
PHOTOS: Pop legend's life and times
But a new report on celebrity website TMZ says neither Jackson or Rowe — the California woman who gave birth to two of the children — were biologically responsible.
"Multiple sources deeply connected to the births tell us Michael was not the sperm donor for any of his kids," the website said.
"Debbie's eggs were not used … She was merely the surrogate, and paid well for her services in the births of Michael Jr and Paris."
The surrogate mother of Prince Michael II, also known as "Blanket", has never been identified, with the website today claiming the woman was never told who was receiving the baby.
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Earlier this week, British tabloid the News Of The World quoted Rowe as saying Jackson was not the father of the children.
The report also said Rowe had no plans to adopt any of the children and did not expect to see them again.
But yesterday Rowe's lawyer Marta Almli claimed the tabloid's interview was fabricated and denied the claims.
Meanwhile, the singer's family plans to hold a wake at his Neverland ranch, raising the prospect his fantasy retreat will turn into his final resting spot.
A 30-car motorcade will reportedly tomorrow escort the body to the King of Pop's California estate, a monument to Jackson's obsession with childhood that once had a private zoo and amusement park.
CNN and TMZ.com, quoting police sources, said the Jackson family planned a public viewing of the body on Friday — which could draw a crush of fans to the isolated compound
Friday's public viewing could be an indication that the Jackson family has permanent plans for Neverland.
Some fans say the star should be buried at the ranch and want it to be transformed into a memorial, similar to Elvis Presley's Graceland.
Neverland was named after the fantasy island of Peter Pan, Jackson's inspiration who refused to grow up.
But the estate fell into disrepair after becoming the alleged crime scene in Jackson's 2005 trial on child molestation charges. Jackson vacated the property following his acquittal and never lived there again.
The estate was reportedly on the verge of foreclosure before Jackson's death as his extravagant lifestyle and mounting personal and legal problems took their toll on his finances.
The long-term fate of Neverland has been one of the myriad legal issues arising from Jackson's sudden death.
A judge yesterday gave Jackson's 79-year-old mother, Katherine, temporary control over his estate including Neverland and the rights to songs of the Beatles. She was also named temporary guardian of his three children.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Jackson drafted a will in 2002 that divided his estate between his mother, his three children and one or more charities.
Conspicuously absent was his father, Joe Jackson, who groomed his nine children into musical sensations but had an uneasy relationship with his son.
Michael Jackson said the family patriarch, a steelworker, would beat him when he missed a note and humiliate him, leading to the pop star's fragility and obsession with childhood.
It remains unclear where the star would ultimately be buried. The family has hesitated at funeral plans after authorising a second autopsy to determine how he died.
The Los Angeles Times reported that police detectives are seeking to identify and interview "multiple doctors" who treated Jackson in the years before his death.
Attention has so far focused on the role of Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray, who was with the star just before his death.
Lawyers for Murray and law enforcement sources have said he is not suspected of wrongdoing and has co-operated with the investigation.
Coroner's office investigators yesterday removed several plastic bags of medication from Jackson's rented mansion in Holmby Hills, described as "additional medical evidence".
Meanwhile the organisers of a series of Jackson's planned comeback concerts in London revealed video footage of his rehearsals existed and could be released to the public.
The president of promoters AEG Live, Randy Phillips, told Sky News television that video of the pop legend's performances would disprove rumours that he was incredibly frail before his death.
"We may at some point release some footage of him in rehearsal that would totally refute that," he said.
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