Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris grew up without her mother after Debbie Rowe signed away all parental rights to the megastar in 2001, when the girl was just 3-year-old.

However, since Michael Jackson’s death in 2009, mother and daughter are trying to make up for lost time by slowly forging a close relationship.

And the first picture of Paris Jackson and Debbie Rowe together has surfaced, showing Debbie with her arm around Paris as they celebrated the teenager’s 15th birthday at Ahi Sushi in Studio City, California, on April 3, reports Entertainment Tonight.

Paris Jackson appeared serene and content as she leaned in close to her mother, a dermatologist’s nurse, who looked thrilled to be included in her daughter’s birthday celebration.

Paris – the youngest of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe’s two children – showed off her edgy style by wearing her short dark hair swept across her forehead and highlighting her eyes with thick black liner.

The resemblance between them is clear, especially in the color and shape of their eyes and their noses.

Debbie Rowe has reportedly developed an “intense bond” with her daughter and the pair have been spending lots of time together in recent months.

The first public picture of Paris Jackson and Debbie Rowe together, as they celebrated the teenager’s 15th birthday at Ahi Sushi in Studio City, California, on April 3

Michael Jackson’s ex-wife supported Paris, who performed in a dance contest at her school in Los Angeles last weekend, turning up with a bouquet of flowers.

Recently, Paris Jackson revealed that she had also been shopping with her mother, an activity that her grandmother Katherine Jackson was approving of.

The teenager said: “When I’m with my mom, we don’t really have security with us. Which is really nice.”

Paris’ uncle Jermaine Jackson recently said he approved of the pair’s burgeoning relationship.

Jermaine Jackson told TMZ: “I think that’s wonderful. The kids need their mum. I think it’s great. That’s their mother. That’s wonderful. That’s a good thing.’

Debbie Rowe and Michael Jackson met when he was a patient at the specialist skin clinic she worked at when he was being treated for his chronic vitiligo.

They were married between 1996 and 1999, and Debbie Rowe gave full custody of her two children with Michael Jackson, Prince and Paris, during their divorce proceedings in 1999.

Debbie Rowe, now 54, later took things one step further in 2001, and relinquished all parental rights to the children, who were just toddlers at the time.

However, after Michael Jackson’s death in June 2009, Debbie Rowe reached an agreement with the megastar’s mother – who became the children’s legal guardian – for supervised visitation rights.

The Daily Mirror previously reported that Paris Jackson had found it “easy” to bond with her mother, and had been interested to know more about the dynamic of her relationship with her late father.

A friend said: “Paris is very inquisitive and found Debbie easy to bond with.”

Meanwhile, it appears Debbie Rowe and Michael Jackson’s son Prince is not yet ready to develop a relationship with his mother.

The 16-year-old budding TV presenter allegedly isn’t interested in getting to know his birth mother, but she hopes that they will develop a natural connection much like she did with Paris.

[youtube T0j6FM0JMAA]