Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine, has been granted temporary guardianship of the singer’s three children.

The 79-year-old has been taking care of Prince Michael Junior, 12, Paris Michael Katherine, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II since Jackson’s death last Thursday.

She will have control of the children until the case is heard on August 3.

According to the Associated Press news agency, Katherine is also seeking to take control of Jackson’s estate.

In papers filed today at Los Angeles Superior Court, the estate’s value was listed as “unknown".

Jackson's two eldest children were both born to his ex-wife Deborah Rowe, while the third was born to an unidentified surrogate mother.

There is confusion over whether Rowe, who divorced from Jackson in 1999, will launch a bid for custody of her two children.

A previous attempt to gain custody in 2003 ended three years later in a private settlement.

Over the weekend, her lawyer said Rowe's only current wish was that “Michael's family, and particularly the children, be spared such harmful, sensationalist speculation and that they be able to say goodbye to their loved one in peace”.

Concern for Jackson's children, who lived a masked life with their father, have been raised ever since the star's death.

A lawyer for the Jackson family told the BBC today that "I don't think there will be anybody who thinks there is someone better" than Jackson's mother to be given custody.

The custodial parents of Jackson's children are likely to receive a larger proportion of his estate.

(by Jason Gregory)