Michael Jackson's funeral and memorial service take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles | Daily Mail Online
To his fans he was their hero, but to his children he was simply 'the best daddy ever'.
And last night Michael Jackson's children stepped into the limelight to pay tribute to their father.
His tearful daughter Paris's voice broke as she told the millions watching the Los Angeles memorial concert: 'I just want to say... ever since I was born.... daddy has been the best father you can imagine. And I just want to say I love him so much.'
In a musical interlude a recording of Jackson's near-tearful voice could be heard, reading out the lyrics.
Actress Brooke Shields, who once attended the Oscars with Jackson, broke down as she paid tribute to her friend.
'To us it was the most magical and easiest of friendships. I was 13 when we first met and from then on our friendship grew.
Jackson's brothers, each wearing one
white glove, began the concert by wheeling his flower-covered
gold-trimmed casket onto the stage at the Staples Center, where days
before his death he was rehearsing for his O2 concerts.
The coffin sat under a spotlight throughout, in front of the thousands of fans.
Smokey Robinson opened the memorial with tributes from Nelson Mandela and Diana Ross, before Pastor Lucious Smith spoke on behalf of the Jackson family.
Standing just outside the large police cordon around the venue was a Jackson impersonator, posing for pictures with fans.
A few girls sat weeping on the
pavements, the occasion too much for them, while others frantically
asked passers by if they had spare tickets for the service.
Barack Obama interrupted his visit to Moscow to say: 'There are certain people in our popular culture that just capture people's imaginations. And in death, they become even larger
'Now, I have to admit that it's also fed by a 24/7 media that is insatiable.'
Meanwhile, BBC2 cleared its schedule to screen the Michael Jackson memorial service live.
The Welsh Britain's Got Talent runner-up's voice shook as he performed the biggest gig of his life.
'I love Michael Jackson,' the 12-year-old told the appreciative crowd.
Ortega then introduced a piece that would have appeared at the London This Is It shows, a performance of We Are The World featuring Jackson's backing singers.
The 11-year-old paused as she spoke, struggling to get the words out through her tears.
Her genuine emotion filled the silent Staples Center, which had earlier shook with laughter, sobs and applause as some of the world's biggest artists lined up to perform and pay tribute to Jackson.
Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer and even Britain's Got Talent runner up Shaheen Jafargholi took it in turns to perform.
But after all the showmanship and glitz, it was unscripted Paris who summed up the man behind the headlines as she ended the memorial.
She and her brothers, shielded from public view at Jackson's insistence, shed their masks to commemorate their late father, who died aged 50 on June 25.
Throughout the event Paris sat in the front-row with her brothers, 12-year-old Prince Michael I, and Prince Michael II alongside her. She rested her head on her grandmother Katherine's shoulder as celebrities spoke about her father.
Prince Michael II, known as Blanket, clutched a doll in his father's image. At seven he is two years older than Jackson was when he started his singing career.
Following the memorial his coffin
was expected to return to Forest Lawn, where it has been held for the
last few days, while a final decision is made.
In a surreal start to the day, 11 elephants and seven horses paraded past the Staples Center, waking fans sleeping on the roofs of their cars outside.
The animals were from the Ringling Bros Circus and were making the traditional journey from the circus train to the performance arena - taking advantage of a bit of free publicity along the way.
Poignant service says goodbye to Jackson
To his fans he was their hero, but to his children he was simply 'the best daddy ever'.
And last night Michael Jackson's children stepped into the limelight to pay tribute to their father.
His tearful daughter Paris's voice broke as she told the millions watching the Los Angeles memorial concert: 'I just want to say... ever since I was born.... daddy has been the best father you can imagine. And I just want to say I love him so much.'
In tears: Loyal fans are moved to tears during the memorial
Actress Brooke Shields, who once attended the Oscars with Jackson, broke down as she paid tribute to her friend.
'To us it was the most magical and easiest of friendships. I was 13 when we first met and from then on our friendship grew.
Touching goodbye: Usher performed at the casket
The coffin sat under a spotlight throughout, in front of the thousands of fans.
Smokey Robinson opened the memorial with tributes from Nelson Mandela and Diana Ross, before Pastor Lucious Smith spoke on behalf of the Jackson family.
Saying goodbye: The rose covered coffin holding the remains of Michael Jackson rests in the front of stage
MJ Lives: These vendors are selling shirts with a cheeky caption
Barack Obama interrupted his visit to Moscow to say: 'There are certain people in our popular culture that just capture people's imaginations. And in death, they become even larger
'Now, I have to admit that it's also fed by a 24/7 media that is insatiable.'
Meanwhile, BBC2 cleared its schedule to screen the Michael Jackson memorial service live.
'I love Michael Jackson,' the 12-year-old told the appreciative crowd.
Ortega then introduced a piece that would have appeared at the London This Is It shows, a performance of We Are The World featuring Jackson's backing singers.
Close: Paris and Blanket are comforted by their aunts Janet (L) and LaToya (R)
Her genuine emotion filled the silent Staples Center, which had earlier shook with laughter, sobs and applause as some of the world's biggest artists lined up to perform and pay tribute to Jackson.
Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer and even Britain's Got Talent runner up Shaheen Jafargholi took it in turns to perform.
But after all the showmanship and glitz, it was unscripted Paris who summed up the man behind the headlines as she ended the memorial.
She and her brothers, shielded from public view at Jackson's insistence, shed their masks to commemorate their late father, who died aged 50 on June 25.
Throughout the event Paris sat in the front-row with her brothers, 12-year-old Prince Michael I, and Prince Michael II alongside her. She rested her head on her grandmother Katherine's shoulder as celebrities spoke about her father.
Prince Michael II, known as Blanket, clutched a doll in his father's image. At seven he is two years older than Jackson was when he started his singing career.
In a surreal start to the day, 11 elephants and seven horses paraded past the Staples Center, waking fans sleeping on the roofs of their cars outside.
The animals were from the Ringling Bros Circus and were making the traditional journey from the circus train to the performance arena - taking advantage of a bit of free publicity along the way.
Tribute: Eleven Asian elephants and seven horses (not seen) from the
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus walk past the Staples
Center
