Jackson kids custody agreement

WENN

An attorney for Michael Jackson's mother has announced that a custody agreement between his client and Debbie Rowe over the late star's children is "very close" to being finalised.

Katherine Jackson, 79, was named as the preferred guardian in Jackson's will, however reports had suggested that his ex-wife Rowe would attempt to seek custody of her two biological children with the singer: Prince Michael, 12, and Paris Katherine, 11.

Speaking on NBC's Today Show, Katherine's lawyer L. Londell McMillan said: "We'll be making an announcement very soon. I want to say the parties have been very responsible.

"Debbie Rowe, her lawyers, Mrs Jackson have been very thoughtful, very caring, very prudent, and we do believe we're very close to reaching an agreement, and this swirling speculation is just swirling speculation."

He went on to dismiss claims that the agreement will be "based on money" and insisted that Rowe regaining custody of her two children "was not on the table... That is not what we're dealing with, despite a lot of the public inquiries.

"When I first met Michael... from the beginning, [he said], 'Make sure to take care of my children and my mother'. That's what we're going to do. What's best for the children is what Michael wanted and what has been happening - Mrs Jackson to have custody of these children."

It is understood that an agreement could be finalised before a scheduled August 3 court date to determine custody of Prince, Paris and 7-year-old Blanket, who was born via an anonymous surrogate.