The details are sketchy and they have leaked out piecemeal but it seems a public viewing has been scheduled for Friday and a private funeral will be held on Sunday.

Thousands of fans are expected to descend on this usually quiet and genteel corner of California's wine region.

The ranch, Jackson's bolthole through some of his most traumatic years, lies deep in the countryside at the end of a winding two-lane road.

Santa Barbara County is a high-end community that shuns celebrity.

It will be deeply uncomfortable at the suggestion that Neverland could soon be transformed into the equivalent of Elvis' Graceland museum in Memphis.

Whatever eventually happens to his body, the wake is likely to be spectacular - judging by the huge crowd that gathered in Harlem's Apollo Theatre to remember the star who first played there aged just nine.

It was a party for all. Even Rev Al Sharpton, a fierce civil rights orator, joined in with the dancing before paying a tribute to Jackson.

"He's bad, he's our brother, he's our friend; let's love Michael today," he said.

Certainly there has been a huge outpouring of affection for Jackson in a country that in recent years turned against the reclusive star, shocked by his image changes, strange behaviour and the lurid allegations of sexual abuse which were never proved.

The family is overseeing this event but they have a lot on their plate.

They have accepted there is a will and it is reported Michael wanted his mother Katherine to take custody of the children and his assets put in a trust.

Mrs Jackson is the current administrator and while this may seem straightforward - it is likely to prove anything but. He has huge assets and huge bills that must be repaid.

The latest allegations about the children top off a bewildering series of legal issues that keep bubbling up.

It is said Michael is not the biological father of any of his three children and Debbie Rowe, the mother of the two eldest, is not their biological mother either.

If she wants custody she will have to file her intentions in court.

To make matters more complicated there has never been a similar custody hearing in Californian legal history. Without a precedent it could take years to get a judgement.

At the same time, police and coroner's investigations continue into the events surrounding the singer's death at a rented Bel Air house.

Toxicology reports on drugs found in his body are awaited but in the meantime there are questions being asked of the doctors who attended to Jackson in recent years.

Of particular interest are the prescription protocols they observed - simply handing drugs out on request is not allowed.

His last physician Dr Conrad Murray denies any wrongdoing.

The family had wanted Michael's fans to take part in his final ceremonies and that looks set for Neverland, but of course nothing is guaranteed.

Nothing involving Michael Jackson ever seems to be simple.