Good Bye, Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson's body arrived at the Staples Centre after a private ceremony on Monday. The hearse carrying the body of Michael Jackson arrived at the Staples Centre from the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, where the pop legend's family held a private memorial service.

The public memorial service of Jackson will be attended by 17,500 fans and will be viewed by approximately a billion people worldwide.

Text inputs: PTI

Michael's family said their goodbyes in private at a ceremony which was attended by the icon's three children among others.

The family arrived at the cemetery in a caravan of limousines escorted by the California Highway Patrol officers.

After the service, the hearse containing Jackson's casket was taken to the Staples Centre amid tight security. The California Highway Patrol temporarily shut down parts of the freeways to allow the hearse and its security motorcade to pass. Fans wearing gold and silver wristbands had begun streaming into the Staples Centre in downtown Los Angeles early in the morning, even as police cordoned off the area.

The tickets and wristbands to the event were distributed on Monday through an online lottery system. Those wearing gold wristbands were told that they would watch the event live in Staples Center. Those with silver bands will watch it live from the nearby Nokia Theatre.

Los Angeles Police Department chief William J Bratton said Michael's $ 25,000 casket will be taken from the Forest Lawn memorial Park to the memorial venue in downtown Los Angeles. But he did not reveal further details about the transportation of the body, reported Los Angeles Times.

However, an official with AEG Live, the organisers of the memorial, said that there would be no funeral procession.

Some 3,200 officers are to be deployed during the memorial, said LAPD Deputy Chief Earl Paysinger.

Paysinger said that the deployment for past events, including the 1984 Olympics, 'pale in comparison to what we have assembled today.'

Lionel Richie sang Jesus Is Love to an emotional audience.

Michael's close friend Diana Ross could not attend the memorial and sent her apologies. Quincy Jones, who collaborated with Michael on Thriller and We Are The World, is in Europe and remained absent as well.

Stevie Wonder performed to I Never Dreamt You'd Leave in Summer. "This is the moment I wished I never lived to see come," he said.

Queen Latifa also spoke of the icon. "We felt he was there for us... One of the first records we bought was Dance Machine and we tried to be like robots," she smiled, adding, "He was the biggest star on earth."

Musician Stevie Wonder performs during memorial services for pop star Michael Jackson in Los Angeles

Brook Shields, who was rumoured to have had an affair with Michael, broke down at the memorial.

She spoke about the icon, and how he tried to teach her the moonwalk in vain.

Michael's close friends and basketball stars Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant also payed tribute to MJ. Singer Usher sang Gone too soon.

Jermaine sang Michael's favourite song, Smile, which featured in the 1936 Charlie Chaplin film Mordern Times.

MJ's blockbuster songs We Are The World and Heal The World were also performed on stage.

Michael's family was present at the memorial in full attendance. While Jermaine thanked fans for paying tribute, brother Marlon broke down while talking.

Michael's daughter Paris Katherine Jackson made her first public appearance, and broke down on stage.