Michael Jackson’s will was read today in California. The paper has been filed on July 7, 2002. The star leaves everything to the Michael Jackson Family Trust. He named John Branca (his lawyer), John McClain (a music executive) and Barry Siegel (his former accountant) as co-Executors.

The star specifically written that “I have intentionally omitted to provide for my former wife, Deborah Jean Rowe Jackson” and he gave guardianship of his three children, Michael Jackson Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael II to his mother. Nothing unexpected until now. The interesting part comes when he says that if his mother would be unable to take care of the kids, he designs singer Diana Ross as guardian. “If any of my children are minors at the time of my death, I nominate my mother, Katherine Jackson as guardian of the persons and estates of such minor children. If Katherine Jackson fails tot survive me, or is unable or unwilling to act as guardian, I nominate Diana Ross as guardian of the persons and estates of such minor children,” the star mentioned in his will.

According to one petition that was filed alongside the will, Michael’s estate is worth a total of $500 million and “consists of non-cash, non-liquid assets, including primarily an interest in a catalog of music royalty rights which is currently being administered by Sony-ATV, and interests in various entities.”

Anyway, the news that Diana Ross was considered by Michael as his kids guardian is unexpected and also a sign of their lifelong friendship. Actually she was his mentor and, in consequence, a very good choice!