Britney Spears has never been a stranger to making headlines – as she sang in 2007, her life is typically just 'another day, another drama.' In recent years, however, the pop icon's personal circumstances have proven particularly rocky, sparking both concern and sadness among her devoted fanbase, who had hoped for somewhat of a Britney renaissance after her conservatorship ended. She got married, but then she got divorced. She released some new music but then sold the rights to her entire catalogue. She posted her whimsical dancing videos online, but then checked into rehab after being arrested for driving under the influence. It seems that, whatever life giveth our Toxic hitmaker, it quickly taketh away as of late.
The 00s princess, 44, knows how to pull it back, of course, and has been expertly doing so since her teens. She had a very public mental health breakdown in 2007, aged just 25. This led to her losing custody of her two sons, being harassed by paparazzi, and, as photographic evidence will remind you, shaving her head. So, it's no surprise that her fans feel protective of her. Now, though, those same fans are wondering whether the end of her 13-year conservatorship – which saw her father, Jamie Spears, wield total control over her $60million (£44.1m) estate from 2008 – was the right decision after all. After the star's recent inpatient treatment and her arrest and guilty plea for DUI, we revisit the highs and lows of her life and career from the past five years – and ask whether #FreeBritney has proven to be a success… or a catastrophe.
What was Britney's conservatorship, and when did it end?
A conservatorship is a form of legal guardianship. Britney's was established following her mental health crisis, as she began behaving erratically, and a series of incidents sparked fears for her welfare, such as the time she hit a photographer's car with an umbrella. Having been hospitalised twice in 2008 under a psychiatric assessment ruling, Britney was placed under a temporary conservatorship, which was made permanent later in the year. As per court filings towards the end of the conservatorship, her father's lawyers said it was 'necessary' to protect Britney, describing her life as being 'in shambles' and that she was in 'physical, emotional, mental, and financial distress.' Therefore, her dad had authority over not just her finances but also her career decisions, with Britney, who released three albums during the 13 years, claiming she was drugged, forced to go on tour, and forbidden from having her birth control removed. Documents show the legal arrangement even extended to the colour of her kitchen cabinets. The guardianship ended in 2021, with Britney's lawyers having already said she was 'afraid of her father.' Jamie pledged to step down as his daughter's conservator and participate in an 'orderly transition.' At the time, there was also mounting pressure from fans campaigning for her freedom online and outside courthouses.
Life outside the conservatorship
Marriage (and divorce) to Sam Asghari
In June 2022, Britney tied the knot with long-term boyfriend Sam Asghari at her California home, with Madonna, Selena Gomez, and Paris Hilton in attendance. She'd cited her desire to marry and have more kids as her reasons for wanting her conservatorship to end. Alas, they split 14 months later, with the Iranian model, 32, referencing 'irreconcilable differences' and seeking spousal support. It wasn't until May 2024 that the exes settled. While details weren't made public, neither party was granted future spousal support in the end. There was also an 'ironclad prenup' in place. Speaking last August, Sam, who first met Britney on set of her Slumber Party video in 2016, stated that their marriage was 'very real' to him, telling People that he wishes her 'the best, always.' In contrast, while Britney had written in her memoir pre-split that Sam was 'a gift from God,' she later penned on Instagram that their relationship was 'the hardest years of [her] life' and their marriage 'felt like a fake distraction.'
Pregnancy and miscarriage
Britney has Sean and Jayden with Kevin Federline, to whom she was married from 2004 to 2007. She became pregnant once more while married to Sam, announcing her happy news in April 2022. Sadly, the 'devastated' pop star miscarried, writing just weeks after: 'It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that we have lost our miracle baby early in the pregnancy.' She mused that they could've 'waited' to announce the pregnancy, but they were 'overly excited' and still had plans to 'expand [their] beautiful family.'
New music and selling her catalogue
Britney made a brief return to music in August 2022, collaborating with Sir Elton John for a club anthem, Hold Me Closer, built around his 1971 hit Tiny Dancer. It topped the charts in several countries, including making the Billboard Hot 100's top 10, marking Britney's first new piece of music since 2016 and fuelling speculation that more could be imminent. Naturally, fans rejoiced at the possibility of Britney becoming a more permanent presence on the music scene again. However, in January 2024, she shut down rumours that a new album was coming, declaring that she had no intention of ever returning to the industry. Her discography became news once again in February this year when, in a shocking move, Britney sold the rights to her entire catalogue to independent music publisher Primary Wave. They were reportedly bought for $200m (£147m). Hold Me Closer now remains Britney's last song, having sold more than 150m albums worldwide throughout her career.
Tell-all memoir
Britney's fans got a glimpse into her life like never before when she published The Woman in Me in October 2023. She signed her book deal three months after a Los Angeles court formally ended her conservatorship. Reportedly worth $15m (£11m), it was one of the biggest book deals of all time, with the performer doing her first cover photoshoot in seven years to promote it. In an accompanying interview, the Gimme More songstress told People: 'Over the past 15 years or even at the start of my career, I sat back while people spoke about me and told my story for me. After getting out of my conservatorship, I was finally free to tell my story without consequences from the people in charge of my life.' While the book became a number one New York Times bestseller within a week, it wasn't an easy read, as it chronicled Britney's journey to stardom and the challenges it brought. The most startling revelations included the abortion she had while dating Justin Timberlake from 1999 to 2000, as she claimed he 'wasn't happy about the pregnancy' and 'was so sure that he didn't want to be a father.' She recalled the moment itself (which involved taking pills at home while her then-boyfriend played guitar to soothe her) as 'one of the most agonising things [she] has ever experienced.' Britney further revealed the Sexyback hitmaker allegedly cheated on her and eventually dumped her via text. The memoir also included Britney's perspective on the conservatorship. Calling out the arrangement's hypocrisy, she penned: 'Too sick to choose my own boyfriend and yet somehow healthy enough to appear on sitcoms and morning shows, and to perform for thousands of people in a different part of the world every week.' She said her father would criticise her appearance, calling her 'fat,' and that she blamed him for making her feel like she was 'never good enough,' extinguishing her creative spark. Britney likened herself to a 'robot' under the guardianship and a 'shadow' of herself: 'I think back now on my father and his associates having control over my body and my money for that long, and it makes me feel sick.'
Mental health and #FreeBritney
Britney has never made a secret of her mental health struggles, of which her family has a history. In recent years, however, her welfare has stirred up plenty of conversations, with even ex-husband Kevin weighing in, saying last year that the #FreeBritney movement 'got it wrong' and pressure from campaigners swayed the judge 'to ignore the professional reports and cave to public opinion.' He added that he had lost faith in Britney turning things around but told the BBC he 'still hopes [she] can find peace.' 'This whole saga, 20 years of it, was built on denial. Britney never reached the first step of recovery: admitting there was a problem.' So, where is Britney's recovery now? In April, she voluntarily entered a treatment facility after being arrested on March 4 in Ventura, California, on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. She was officially charged with a misdemeanour by DUI. Britney vowed to 'take the right steps' and 'comply with the law' in a statement via her reps, with her team optimistic that it would invoke 'a long overdue change.' 'Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time,' they added, confirming that her boys would be by her side. Sources also insisted that Britney recognised the 'seriousness' of the circumstances and felt 'seeking treatment' was the 'best step.' She will now see a psychologist once a week and a psychiatrist twice a month.
Should Britney have been freed? A superfan gives their verdict…
Troy McEady is as hardcore a Britney fan as they come. The pop culture enthusiast, 38, from New York was invested in the Free Britney movement before it was even named as such, telling Metro how attaching the title in 2019 'was extremely effective in helping to make some actual changes.' 'At that time, I felt like the general public had finally caught up with what her fans had been trying to bring awareness to for many years,' he recalls. On why it meant so much to him, he adds: 'I knew Britney was in a situation that looked very shady and scary from the outside, but I didn't know the true extent of what she was facing until she finally opened up about what they were doing to her behind closed doors.' Troy insists it was 'the right choice' to release his idol from her conservatorship, labelling it 'predatory' at a time when she 'could've used some genuine help.' A few years on, despite the turbulence in Britney's life, Troy is adamant that reviving her conservatorship would be harmful, reminding people that 'her journey to healing and rediscovering who she is isn't going to be perfect.' 'Britney doesn't owe it to us to have a Lifetime movie, perfect, happy ending with everything tied in a bow for the sake of making the public happy. As a fan, it's been hard to see that, after years of documentaries and think pieces explaining how extreme and unethical the conservatorship was, the general public still needs to be reminded that it didn't save her. I constantly see people saying they think she needs to be put back in a conservatorship because her online behaviour makes them uncomfortable, not realising the aftermath of the conservatorship is the very reason she's the way she is.' As for his hopes for Britney's future, he's still rooting for her. 'After everything she's been through, the only thing I can wish for Britney at this point is genuine happiness. A fully mended relationship with her children, real friendships, and a healthy relationship with a man who cares about her. I hope she's able to find a way to harness her creativity and rediscover herself through art.'
