Britney Spears has been under a court-ordered conservatorship for her a large part of her adult life. The conservatorship means that Britney can't really make many decisions on her own but has to have nearly everything she does approved by her father. Britney is 38 years old and has allegedly been asking to have the conservatorship revoked for years.
Fans of the singer have also been calling for an end to the conservatorship through the #FreeBritney movement. Britney's brother recently spoke about the arrangement, though he didn't clearly call for an end to it or voice his support. Now Britney's father has addressed the matter directly.
Jamie spoke to Page Six about the arrangement — and about how he feels about Britney's fans. He begins the interview by referring to the Free Britney movement as "a joke" and says, "All these conspiracy theorists don't know anything. The world doesn't have a clue. It's up to the court of California to decide what's best for my daughter. It's no one else's business."
He also addressed many rumors that have circulated, including that he steals from Britney's estate. "I have to report every nickel and dime spent to the court every year. How the hell would I steal something?"
He says the real problem is how aggressive supporters of his daughter can be.
"People are being stalked and targeted with death threats. It's horrible. We don't want those kinds of fans. I love my daughter. I love all my kids. But this is our business. It's private."
However, some point out that Jamie's insistence that this is a private family matter is disingenuous. After all, much of Britney's life has played out on a global stage.
The movement is gaining serious traction, as celebrities are now getting involved. Ruby Rose, Miley Cyrus, Paris Hilton, Ariel Winter, and Rose McGowan have all verbalized their support for Britney via Instagram and Twitter.
There is also a petition circulating that calls for a total end to the arrangement. The petition reads, "Her father doesn't allow her to drive, all of her calls & messages are monitored, she's not allowed to vote, hang with anyone or spend her money without permission. And if she breaks a 'rule' he threatens to have her kids taken away."
One source, who chose to remain anonymous, insists that the conservatorship isn't as bad as it sounds. "It's not at all a conservatorship like you read about for old people. It protects her in a way people like Michael Jackson weren't protected, from themselves and from other people. She's been able to perform all this time because performing is where she is happiest. When she's left to her own devices is where the trouble starts. She does have some serious issues."
Britney skyrocketed to a level of fame that few people achieve with the release of her first single, "Baby One More Time." Britney was only 17 at the time.
Since then, she has experienced several highs and lows, all while working and performing under an ever-critical public eye.
Fans and family first began to worry about Britney in 2004, when she married her childhood friend and then annulled the marriage 55 hours later. When Britney married Kevin Federline in 2006, things began to slowly spiral out of her control. She and Kevin had two sons together and then divorced.
Britney entered rehab in 2007, had her head shaved, attacked a photographer with an umbrella, and then, ultimately, lost custody of her two sons. Following the custody battle, Britney appeared to break. In 2008, she engaged in a three-hour standoff with police after she refused to relinquish her sons to Kevin.
Britney was hospitalized, and her father seized control over her decision-making capability at that time. Since then, Britney has been allowed to work but not to have any control over any other part of her life. Many wonder how she can be OK to work (and, one could assume, support many members of her family while doing so) but not OK to make her own choices and decisions.
While he might decry her fan base, Jamie has been no saint. In 2019, he was temporarily removed as Britney's conservator when he allegedly broke into a room and grabbed one of her sons. He is now barred from seeing either of his grandsons. Earlier this year, one of Britney's sons spoke out against his grandfather online. Britney's mother, Lynn, has largely stayed out of the discussion but has been liking posts that support the Free Britney movement.
