To the world he was the King of Pop. To three kids he was just Dad, the man who cooked their meals and took them on trips and walked with them in the early morning.
In November 2010, a little more than a year after their father was gone, Michael’s children sat down to talk about him on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Prince, Paris and Blanket were still young. The segment was filmed at home, out in the family’s backyard, with some of their cousins around.
What they shared had nothing to do with fame. It was the small stuff, the kind only his own kids would know.
Michael’s children talk about their dad for the first time
Watch their faces as they tell these stories, because you can see how much they loved the regular, everyday side of him.
Prince talked about a time the family lived in Bahrain, a small island country in the Middle East, about as far from Hollywood as you can get. In the mornings, he said, he and his dad would head down to the beach together while it was still early and quiet.
And they would often bring a few treats along for the walk.
Can you guess what a global superstar and his son snacked on at sunrise? Nothing fancy. They often carried Coca-Cola and a little candy, Skittles or Snickers, just a dad and his boy walking the sand with soda and sweets.
Paris had her own favorite memory. She said her father took her to art museums, and she gave him a title no award show ever did. She called him “the best cook ever.”
A closer look at that interview
Give this one a few minutes and listen to the way they describe him, in their own words, as a father first.
It’s easy to forget that the most famous entertainer alive was also packing snacks for a beach walk and flipping something on the stove at home. When his kids remember him, they skip right past the records and the awards and go straight to the dad who made breakfast and knew which candy to bring.
Those early mornings in Bahrain stayed with Prince. A quiet beach at sunrise, a cold Coke in hand, a little candy in his pocket and his father walking right there beside him.
It’s a small memory to carry for a lifetime. Hear him tell it himself and you’ll probably smile.