Jackson still in love with first wife

Michael Jackson is still besotted with his ex-wife, Lisa-Marie Presley, and dotes on his three-month-old son, according to his new wife, Debbie Rowe. "He loved her very much. Still does," said Ms Rowe, 38, on American television. "He cares about her very much but it didn't work out and he was devastated."

The self-styled "King of Pop", who has amassed a fortune estimated at pounds 600m, divorced Ms Presley last year after a tempestuous 20-month marriage.

Ms Rowe, who lives apart from her reclusive husband in a modest suburban flat in Los Angeles, denied that Jackson had paid her to carry his child, and that the baby, Prince Michael, was taken from her immediately after the birth.

"I would never do this for money. I did this because I love him," said Ms Rowe, who has returned to her job as a nurse at a Beverley Hill's dermatology clinic.

"A lot of people think I have abandoned my husband. He understands that I need my independence. We're untraditional people. I would consider him my best friend. I would hope I'm one of his closest friends."

Ms Rowe, who married Jackson in secret last Novembersaid the singer spends much of his time with his son. "He feeds him, he changes his diapers. He reads to him, he sings to him. If he's on the phone the baby is in his arms."

She dismissed past allegations of child molestation, saying: "I wouldn't have had a child and I wouldn't leave our child there if any of these things were true, or if I even suspected any of them were true."

But she was more coy when asked about the likelihood of adding to the Jackson brood. When asked if the couple would have more children she replied: "We hope so. It depends on our scheduling." James Mellor