CELEBRITY
Why Paris Jackson’s shock engagement to Justin Long has sparked fears for her famous family
Paris Jackson’s famous family feel ‘super wary’ about the singer’s whirlwind engagement to bandmate Justin Long as he is ‘marrying into the Jackson fortune.’
Paris, whose father was Michael Jackson, revealed she agreed to marry the 5 Seconds of Summer music producer in an Instagram post on Friday.
The 26-year-old model shared a sweet snap of the proposal and a montage of their time together while paying tribute to Justin – nicknamed Blue – on his birthday.
But the milestone moment has raised concerns for some family members who were quick to discuss the steps needed to help safeguard Paris’ estimated $100 million fortune.
‘The Jackson’s are super wary of this relationship, and they have every right to be,’ an insider told DailyMail.com. ‘It is no secret that Paris has a massive inheritance.’
They claimed Justin is already benefitting from Paris’ money, adding: ‘They worry that she already foots the bill for most things and now that she is getting married to him, he is also marrying into the Jackson fortune.’
The source claimed Paris has no doubts and ‘swears he is not after her money’ and that ‘it is true love.’
However, the family is determined to make sure they do all they can to protect the assets of Michael’s only daughter.
The singer and her brothers – Prince Michael, 27, and Prince Michael II (known as Bigi), 22 – have been receiving $8 million each year from the late musician’s estate, and it is believed they will inherit about $2 billion altogether when they turn 33.
‘As soon as the engagement occurred there were talks within the family to make sure that there is an ironclad prenup in place,’ the source explained.
Part of the reason why the family is taking precautionary steps is due to the nature in which Paris has fallen in love with her previous partners over the years.
The source continued: ‘Paris has hopped from relationship to relationship over the past decade and she has fallen in love almost every time.
‘She says that he is ‘the one’ and everyone would love this to be true. But Paris fears abandonment. This is why she gets so attached every single time.’
Justin first appeared on Paris’ social media in a group shot with her band two years ago, and has featured briefly in some posts since.
He is a producer, mixer, and music engineer from California who has worked with Paris behind the scenes at her shows for several years.
His LinkedIn profile states that he has ‘over a decade of experience in making music, from engineering and mixing songs that have gone to #1 on iTunes in the U.S. and 20 other countries, to performing live as part of a major-label signed band.’
He attended Grace College and Seminary in Indiana, before embarking on a marketing career and later making the switch to music.
Other artists he has worked with include Nickel Creek, HOLYCHILD, Grace Potter, The Wombats, and Sleater Kinney.
Justin is also a businessman and has created an app called Dayly, which is a personal habit tracker and journal.
The pair were photographed out and about together in Los Angeles in October, with a small daschund puppy that Paris introduced to her followers earlier this year.
In her announcement post on Friday, Paris wrote: ‘Happy birthday my sweet blue. doing life with you these last years has been an indescribable whirlwind and I couldn’t dream of anyone more perfect for me to do it all with. thank you for letting me be yours. I love you. [sic].’
While she did not specify when or where Justin popped the question, she was spotted wearing the ring in September.
The couple are believed to have started dating in 2022. Prior to that she dated another bandmate, Gabriel Glenn.
When they split in 2021 after two years together, Paris described it as ‘the deepest heartbreak I ever experienced’.
Speaking about the split, she shared on Red Table Talk: ‘It was the deepest I ever loved someone, it was the most intense I’ve felt so far and the most intense betrayal I felt so far and experienced.’
‘It’s definitely closed me off to that, I’m very careful with who I spend time with now and very guarded and trying to protect myself.’
She did not further elaborate on the betrayal.
Paris also dated British reality star Tom Kilbey, performer Michael Snoddy and was once linked to Cara Delevingne.
In 2020, the model opened up about her sexuality, saying she mainly dated women.
She explained that with her romances it is more about what they are like as a person rather than ‘what’s in their pants.’
‘Never thought I’d end up with a dude,’ she confessed.
‘[I] thought I’d end up marrying a chick. I’ve dated more women than men. Been with more chicks.’
Paris went on: ‘The public only knows about three long term relationships I’ve been with and they’ve been with men. The public doesn’t know about like most of the relationships I’ve been in.
‘I say I’m gay because I guess I am, but I wouldn’t consider myself bisexual because I’ve dated more than just men and women, I’ve dated a man that had a vagina.
‘It has nothing to do what’s in your pants, it’s literally like, what are you like as a person?’
Paris’ mother is Debbie Rowe, who was married to Michael from 1996 to 1999 after meeting him while working as a nurse at the dermatology clinic where he was was being treated for vitiligo.
The superstar divorced Lisa Marie Presley the same year that he met Debbie and she went on to give birth to the late star’s son Prince in 1997 – three months after they married.
When Debbie split from the singer, she agreed to give Michael full custody of their two children. Paris then reconnected with her mother at the age of 15.
In March, it was claimed that Michael’s kids and mother will not be receiving any financial distributions from his trust until his estate settles an ongoing dispute with the IRS.
Prince, Paris, and Bigi are beneficiaries of the late Billie Jean hitmaker’s trust, while his mother Katherine, 94, is a sole beneficiary of a sub trust in his will.
But the King of Pop’s children, as well as Katherine’s trusts ‘cannot be funded’ until the tax dispute is settled, as per court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, and filed on May 28.
However, in a statement to PEOPLE, the singer’s estate said that the family members still receive payments through an allowance.
‘In annual reports provided to the probate court, which are publicly available, anyone can see that the Estate provides Michael’s mother and children with very substantial amounts of money to support them.’
‘The Estate has a very cooperative relationship with Michael’s children and whenever they need anything, the Estate works with them to ensure that they are very well taken care of, just as Michael would have wanted.’