IANS

Las Veigas, Jul 6: Pop legend Michael Jackson was secretly dating his children's nanny before his death, says the singer's personal photographer. Michael Jackson.

The romance between Jackson, who died of a suspected cardiac arrest June 25, and Ugandan-born Grace Rwaramba was an open secret among the singer's staff. His three children - Prince Michael, 12, Paris Katherine, 11 and six-year-old Prince Michael II - even looked on her as their mother.

"Grace loved Michael and he loved her. The kids called her 'mom'," femalefirst.co.uk quoted Ian Barkley, Jackson's personal photographer, as saying.

Last week Jackson's former head of security, Matt Fiddes, admitted his ex-employer had a secret lover, but refused to name her, saying that the mystery woman was not famous.

However, another bodyguard, who refused to be named, said: "Matt was referring to Grace. They were more like a married couple than employer and employee."