THESE are the astonishing 'happy family' pictures that could swing the custody battle for tragic Michael Jackson's children.
They show Jacko and ex-wife Debbie Rowe affectionately playing Mummy and Daddy, hugging and cuddling their two kids Prince and baby Paris.
VIDEO: WATCH UNSEEN VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL JACKSON SQUIRMING OVER SEX ALLEGATIONS
And the photos could prove a powerful weapon in former nurse Rowe's fight to win her children back - challenging stories depicting her as the detached surrogate with no maternal bond or attachment.
Following last week's shock death of 50-year-old oddball pop king Jacko in Los Angeles, Rowe threw down the gauntlet to the Jackson clan in the battle for her kids - now aged 12 and 11, declaring: "They are my flesh and blood. I'm going after my children!"
According to reports she also announced she'd consider raising Jackson's third child, seven-year-old Blanket. His surrogate mother has never been named.
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Rowe - who controversially once accepted an $8.5 million (£5.2 million) pay-off from Jacko and GAVE UP any claims to the children - is spending the weekend deliberating with lawyers on her next move.
Clutches
But today the News of the World can also reveal:
- THE PACT Jackson made with superstar Diana Ross to keep his kids out of Rowe's clutches.
- ROWE'S FEARS that Michael would flee the US with the youngsters before his child molestation trial.
- CONCLUSIVE PROOF that Rowe was their natural mother impregnated with donor bank sperm.
- DOCUMENTS that show she first tried to get custody SIX YEARS ago and wanted to maintain contact.
Click here to see Michael Jackson's intimate family photos
Sources close to Rowe, 50, say she is spending this weekend locked in talks with legal advisers.
Meanwhile the Jackson family moved swiftly this week to install Michael's mother Katherine, 79, as legal guardian to all three children.
But our portraits, which have never been seen before, of apparently proud and loving mum Debbie with her babies will rattle the Jackson clan, who have often claimed she never even visited the children.
The photos - taken in a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills about two weeks after Paris was born in April, 1998 - capture the first moment Rowe held her daughter for the very first time.
Jackson had whisked the baby away from the hospital moments after Rowe gave birth. The photographer told us: "Debbie couldn't wait to cradle Paris in her arms and Michael was happy to let her.
Click here to see Michael Jackson's intimate family photos
"It wasn't like he was giving her instructions and a list of what she could and couldn't do. Debbie was a natural mum from the off. She was talking to the baby saying stuff like, 'Hello Paris. I'm your mom!'
"In fact, she didn't want to put the little thing down, holding her as she was walking around the room and sitting down with her on a sofa. She wasn't just holding her for the photographs.
Watch exclusive unseen footage of Michael Jackson
"At one point she was gently rocking Paris in her arms and humming a lullaby to her. It was a very special mother-and-baby moment. Paris was asleep in her mother's arms and looked very contented.
"It was obvious that Debbie loved her children and there was a strong connection between them. It looked like she was treasuring every second, laughing, kissing and playing with them for about two hours.
"Michael didn't spend much time talking to Debbie during the meeting - but he was happy to watch her with the children.
"It was his idea to do the photos. He was already thinking ahead. He wanted the pictures so he could show the children when they were older, so they'd know who their mother is."
A second similar set of photographs was taken a few weeks later when Debbie, who married Jacko in 1996, visited her children at his Neverland ranch. The photographer added: "Debbie was just as happy and relaxed at the second photoshoot. People may think she was an emotionally cold and uncaring woman to be able to walk away from her children. But if you saw her with them you'd realise there was much more to it than that."
In a five-page will written by Jackson in 2002 he specifically EXCLUDED Rowe from his estate, naming former Supremes singer Diana Ross as second choice to be the children's guardian if their gran couldn't do it.
Ploy
Now the family hope that will be enough to settle the issue. Privately they say they suspect any legal challenge from Rowe might just be a ploy to extract more cash.
And grieving star Diana - who first met Michael when he was just nine and singing with the Jackson 5 at Harlem's legendary Apollo theatre - has revealed details of the amazing deal she struck with him to keep his children away from Rowe.
Diana, 65, told a close pal: "I promised Michael I'd never allow that woman - we didn't mention her name - to get to his babies.
"Michael was terrified she'd end up with their children should anything happen to him. He begged me not to let her get them. That was his worst nightmare.
"We discussed him putting me as the children's guardian in his will but I didn't know he'd actually gone through with it. I was shocked he'd made it official.
Click here to see Michael Jackson's intimate family photos
"It's a huge responsibility but I'll keep my word if I have to. That woman doesn't deserve them. With Michael passing I've lost my best friend, we were loyal to one another and I don't know what I'll do without him.
"But he told me caring for the children would be his dying wish so of course I'm going to respect that."
Rowe initially signed away her parental rights to Jackson in 2001, folllowing a 1999 divorce, agreeing he was the "best father ever". But in December 2003, after 14-year-old Gavin Arvizo claimed Jackson had sexually abused him, Debbie made a legal application to regain temporary custody of her children.
In a legal declaration as part of that move she reveals that she kept up her visiting rights to the children for about a year, but relinquished them because she couldn't handle publicity surrounding the relationship and thought it would be "in the children's best interests".
However, she continues: "During the past few years I maintained contact with persons close to Michael so that I could keep updates on the children.
"I have their pictures throughout my home and often reflected on the fabulous life they must have enjoyed with their father.
"I was always told that our children were treated like royalty and were very happy children. I wanted to speak with Michael over the past few years to talk about our children but he did not want to speak with me.
"Michael never returned any phone calls nor initiated any conversation with me, so I unfortunately continued to rely on observations of others that had personal knowledge of the children and their welfare."
She then declares that the child abuse charges against Jackson had forced her to rethink, adding: "I believe that I will provide a more stable environment for our children at this particular time.
"I believe that I have a responsibility to protect and be involved with my children's life and well- being until such time as a full investigation can be conducted to determine really what is in the children's best interests.
"If I did not intercede now to help our children I would not be fulfilling my responsibility as a parent."
Fearing that Jackson was about to flee the country with her children before his trial, she requested that the children's passports be immediately surrendered.
She wrote: "Michael has close, influential and rich friends all over the world. He has the ability to rent a private jet at a moment's notice, have the children taken from the United States and never returned."
Other legal documents seen by the News of the World confirm Rowe as the natural mother to Prince and Paris. She entered a surrogacy agreement with Jackson on January 23, 1996, before artificial insemination by Dr Hal C Danzer with anonymously donated semen from a semen bank. They used what is popularly known as the 'turkey baster' method. They repeated the procedure in June 1997.
Following Rowe's initial 2003 application for custody, and Jackson's acquittal in 2005, Debbie reached a secret deal with the star a year later to give up all parental rights in exchange for a £4.5 million staggered ten-year deal.
She received a lump sum of £606,000 late in 2006 and then her first instalment of £390,000 on September 1, 2007. Last night doubts were growing that that any future payments would be made.
With granny Katherine now in charge of the children's care, a custody hearing scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed until next Monday July 13 at the request of Rowe's attorney.
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