Michael Jackson's son Prince says he and his siblings wore masks because their famous dad 'wanted us to have our own life without him'

Published: 00:12 GMT, 4 November 2016 | Updated: 20:46 GMT, 5 November 2016

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Michael Jackson famously made his young children cover their faces in public.

And now his son Prince Michael Jackson, 19, reveals that the masks were a way for the King Of Pop to ensure he, his sister Paris and younger brother Blanket were able to maintain their own identities.

'He told us the reason for the masks was he wanted us to have our own life without him,' Prince told the LA Times.

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Under cover: Prince said the reason Michael gave for taking out him and his siblings in masks was that 'he wanted us to have our own life without him'

'I don’t think I ever thought about if other kids lived like that when I was younger. But once I knew who he was, I realized it wasn’t normal,' the teen added.

The ruse worked, he said, because often he and his siblings were able to go out in public unrecognized because their faces had never been photographed and published.

Prince spoke with the newspaper at his late father's Hayvenhurst etsate in Encno, where Paris, now 18, lives in the guest house while the main residence is renovated.

Remembering dad: The oldest son of the King of Pop said of his father's 2009 death: 'I don’t think it’s anything you ever get over'

We are family: Prince, flanked (left to right) by sister Paris, aunt LaToya and brother Blanket in 2012 shot, said the Jackson family made sure he and his siblings were well cared-for and attended to in the timeframe following their father's death

Both he and Paris are the children of Debbie Rowe, who was briefly married to the Thriller superstar and who terminated her parental rights in 2001.

While Paris has grown close to Rowe and is supporting her through a battle with cancer, Prince does not have a relationship with his biological mom.

'I'm very lucky to have two mother figures in my life, my grandmother and my cousin Frances. As for my birth mother, she's always been more of a friend, and that works for us,' he explained.

'You could say my whole life has been unconventional. I really love that though, and it's all I've ever known.'

Coming out of his shell: Prince Jackson, 19, opened up about his late father Michael and his legacy in a thorough new interview. Here, the musical heir was seen in West Hollywood September 21

Prince gave the interview to the LA Times to promote his foray into producing and directing music videos through his company King's Son Productions.

Seven years after Jackson died, his son still struggles to deal with his loss, noting: 'I don’t think it’s anything you ever get over.'

He said he looks to incorporate reminders of the Remember The Time singer into his life 'in every way.'

'From my company logo having little bits of him, using his metaphors and trying to follow everything he taught us.'

Moving forward: The introspective teen is looking to establish himself as a music producer

He added: 'I can never be separated from my father - he set that big of an example. And I don’t really have a problem with that. I’m proud to have his name and to be his son.'

However, the young man says 'Everyone thinks I’m going to do music and dance' but he admits he cannot do either.

Instead, Prince is looking to make a star out of the artist O-Bee, Omer Bhakti, as he produced the singer's video for the clip Automatic, and one for a stunning Brazilian group called the Sco Triplets.

Prince, who's a business major in his second year at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, said that the one big piece of advice is father drummed into him was: 'Trust no one.'

'Music is a big part of my life,' he said. 'Honestly, I’m just going with the flow. I’m still young, my ideas can change.'