Being married to one of the world’s greatest singers put Debbie Rowe in the spotlight. Although she led a private life, especially with the circumstances surrounding their marriage, Rowe remained an object of attention. Unarguably, Rowe was envied by millions of female fans who wished they could take her place.
Debbie Rowe sprung back into the spotlight with Michael Jackson‘s death. Her relationship with the late singer has continued to raise controversy whenever her name is mentioned. With 2024 marking Michael Jackson’s 15th death anniversary, many are wondering about Debbie Rowe’s whereabouts. Here’s everything to know about Michael Jackson’s ex-wife, Debbie Rowe.
Debbie Rowe Was Raised By Her Mother
Deborah Jeanne Rowe was born on December 6, 1958, in Spokane, Washington. Her parents were Barbara Chilcutt and Gordon Rowe. Rowe’s father was only present in her life for less than two years, having divorced her mother a few weeks before Rowe turned 2. From that time on, Debbie Rowe was raised alone by her mother, with assistance from her maternal grandmother and aunts.
Debbie Rowe Met Micheal Jackson At A Dermatologist’s Clinic
Debbie Rowe was an assistant at Arnold Klein’s dermatology clinic before Michael Jackson became a patient. Klein was the pop singer’s personal doctor helping with his vitiligo treatment. As an assistant at the clinic, Rowe supported Jackson by answering questions regarding the condition and treatment. This was sometime in the mid-1980s. Over time, Rowe and Jackson became close friends. At the time, Michael Jackson was already an international superstar. As such, like any female fan and admirer, Rowe had an obsession with the singer, besides being close friends.
Michael Jackson Wasn’t Debbie Rowe’s First Husband
Debbie Rowe was first married to High School teacher Richard Edelman. The couple married in 1982, and with Edelman being Jewish, Rowe converted to Judaism. The couple were married for about six years, with their divorce finalized sometime in 1988. The timeline of Debbie Rowe’s first marriage meant she was still married when she first met Michael Jackson.
Rowe and Jackson remained close friends for over a decade, during which time she divorced her husband. It was reported Michael Jackson was a confidant to Rowe, who complained about feeling trapped in her marriage. However, there are no verifiable reports that Rowe and Jackson had a romantic relationship during the decade they were close friends.
Debbie Rowe Offered To Have Michael Jackson’s Children
What is true about Debbie Rowe and Michael Jackson’s relationship is that they were close friends; she cared about Jackson deeply and was also an obsessed fan. Understanding these mutually inclusive possibilities helps explain Rowe and Jackson’s relationship from the mid-1990s. Michael Jackson married Elvis Presley and actress Priscilla Presley‘s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, on May 26, 1994. The couple were married for about two years before divorcing in 1996. As close friends, Jackson reportedly confided in Rowe his need to have children, which Lisa Marie Presley didn’t want to provide.
Debbie Rowe offered to bear Michael Jackson’s children since it was the one thing the singer needed that had eluded him. Although Jackson had tried to hide his friendship with Rowe from Presley, she found out during their marriage but was reportedly less concerned about it, believing Rowe wasn’t Jackson’s kind of woman. Whether or not this was true, Jackson considered and trusted Debbie Rowe enough to be the mother of his children.
She Initially Had A Miscarriage
Known for his love of privacy, Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe did their best to keep their plans for a child and pregnancy a secret. A few weeks after Jackson and Presley’s divorce in 1996, Rowe became pregnant with her first child. However, she reportedly suffered a miscarriage in March 1996. Much of this ordeal was never disclosed to the public.
Debbie Rowe Is The Mother Of Two Of Michael Jackson’s Children
While controversy continues to trail Debbie Rowe and Michael Jackson about the paternity of his children, Rowe was openly recognized as their mother. Rowe took in again, with news of the pregnancy becoming public in late 1996. Reports soon began circulating that Rowe was artificially impregnated with Michael Jackson’s sperm cells. Other reports stated Rowe and Jackson’s relationship regarding the birth of his children was entirely financial.
Debbie Rowe gave birth to Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr. on February 13, 1997. The child was nicknamed Prince in honor of Michael Jackson’s grandfather and great-grandfather. The child was reportedly taken to Jackson’s home in Neverland Ranch, while Rowe recovered at a friend’s home. Her next encounter with Prince happened six weeks later when she was invited to Jackson’s home for a photoshoot. She stayed away from the child as initially agreed, with Jackson providing six nannies and six nurses to help look after the child. Debbie Rowe gave birth to Michael Jackson’s second child, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson, on April 3, 1998.
Michael Jackson was reportedly so excited about the birth of his daughter he quickly took Paris home from the hospital “with all the placenta and everything all over her.” Debbie Rowe later confirmed Jackson had Paris’ placenta frozen at home. Like before, Rowe stayed away from her children, with Jackson raising them alone. Years later, court documents revealed that Michael Jackson bought a $1.3 million home in 1997 for Rowe, with a $10 million payout, which began with a $1.5 million payment after their divorce. As of the period following the death of Michael Jackson, Debbie Rowe was still receiving spousal support payments and scheduled visitation rights. Debbie Rowe later sold the home and bought a ranch in Palmdale.
Debbie Rowe’s Marriage & Divorce To Michael Jackson
Initially, Michael Jackson wanted Debbie Rowe to be his children’s mother. However, Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, pushed that they be legally married, especially because of her faith as a Jehovah’s Witness. Debbie Rowe and Michael Jackson married on November 15, 1996, at the Sheraton on the Park Hotel in Sydney, Australia. The couple had been married for about four years before Rowe asked for a divorce after no longer being comfortable with their marriage agreement. Rowe and Jackson were officially divorced in April 2000. After the birth of Michael Jackson’s third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed Blanket), on February 21, 2002, Rowe quickly clarified she wasn’t the biological mother. Jackson later revealed he did not know the mother, as the child was produced through artificial insemination using his own sperm cells.
Debbie Rowe Was Diagnosed With Breast Cancer In 2016
Debbie Rowe was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2016. From the first day of her diagnosis to when she completed her chemotherapy in 2017, her daughter Paris was always by her side. Debbie Rowe has spent the last years away from the public and on her ranch in Palmdale surrounded by family and close friends. If you enjoyed reading about Debbie Rowe, read about Prince Jackson, Michael Jackson’s son.
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