Britney Spears’ anger toward her father did not begin with her recent and controversial social media remark about his health. The pop star has spent years describing the nearly 14-year conservatorship as a period when other people controlled her body, money, career, and personal decisions.
Although many of her accusations involved Jamie Spears, others were directed at doctors, managers, and additional members of the conservatorship team. Jamie has repeatedly maintained that he acted in his daughter’s best interests and denied responsibility for medical and reproductive decisions made after he stopped serving as her personal conservator.
Britney revisited the conservatorship in her 2023 memoir, “The Woman in Me,” describing herself as a “shadow” of the woman she had once been. “Thirteen years went by with me feeling like a shadow of myself,” she wrote.
The singer said thinking about her father and his associates controlling her “body” and “money” made her feel sick. Her account gained renewed attention after The Blast reported that relatives were allegedly “appalled” by a since-deleted Instagram post in which she referenced Jamie’s leg amputation. The post drew widespread criticism as cruel, but Britney reportedly believes she has a right to remain angry because of what she says she endured under the conservatorship.
The arrangement began in February 2008 following a period of intense public scrutiny and personal turmoil. Jamie initially held authority over both his daughter’s estate and personal affairs. However, the legal roles later changed. Jamie stopped serving as conservator of Britney’s person in 2019, when Jodi Montgomery assumed that position. He remained involved with the estate until he was suspended in September 2021.
The Singer Claimed Jamie Viewed Her As A Source Of Money
One of Britney’s most unsettling memoir allegations involved a remark she claimed her father made after gaining control. As The Blast previously reported, Britney alleged that Jamie told her, “I’m Britney Spears now.”
She also questioned how she could be considered unable to manage her own life while still recording music, appearing on television, touring internationally, and performing a demanding Las Vegas residency.
Britney claimed the contradiction eventually convinced her that her value to those controlling the arrangement was primarily financial. “I began to think that he saw me as put on the earth for no other reason than to help their cash flow,” she wrote.
Court records showed that Britney’s estate was valued at approximately $56 million in 2019. The conservatorship also generated substantial professional and legal expenses, which were paid from her estate.
Britney Said Her Father Criticized Her Weight And Restricted Her Food
Britney also accused Jamie of repeatedly criticizing her appearance. “If I thought getting criticized about my body in the press was bad, it hurt even more from my own father,” she wrote in her memoir.
The singer claimed Jamie regularly told her she looked “fat” and pressured her to change her body. She further alleged that her food was heavily restricted for two years, leaving her eating almost nothing beyond chicken and canned vegetables.
Britney said she would ask household staff for foods she wanted, including a hamburger or ice cream, but was denied them because they had received strict instructions. The alleged restrictions were especially painful because Britney was continuing to rehearse, perform, and financially support the operation surrounding her career.
Her complaints went beyond food. As The Blast previously reported, Britney claimed she was instructed to grow out her hair, get back into shape, follow a fixed bedtime, and take prescribed medication. She said the arrangement eventually made her feel more like a product than a person.
She Alleged She Was Forced To Work Despite Wanting A Break
Britney delivered some of her most serious accusations during her public court testimony in June 2021. The singer claimed that after years of performing in Las Vegas, she told her management team that she wanted a break. She alleged that her objections were characterized as a refusal to cooperate and that she was pressured to continue working. “I worked since I was 17-years-old and this conservatorship is abusive,” Britney told the court.
Britney had released multiple albums, completed international tours, judged “The X Factor” and maintained a successful Las Vegas residency while legally lacking control over major parts of her life.
Her former court-appointed attorney acknowledged that the conservatorship’s second phase covered her return to work as a “world-class entertainer.” By 2020, however, Britney had expressed a desire to stop performing and formally opposed Jamie’s continued control over her estate.
Britney Spears Claimed She Was Forced To Take Lithium
Britney also told the court that her medication was changed to lithium after a disagreement over her work. She described lithium as much stronger than the medication she had previously taken and said it left her feeling intoxicated, frightened and unable to advocate for herself. The singer did not place responsibility solely on Jamie when describing the medication change. Her allegations also involved a doctor, management and other people overseeing her treatment.
Britney later shared purported text messages in which she told her mother that she felt sick from medication and feared for her safety. Lynne Spears subsequently claimed that her intervention helped end the lithium treatment.
The Pop Star Said She Was Prevented From Removing Her IUD
Britney’s testimony also raised alarming questions about her reproductive freedom. “I want to be able to get married and have a baby,” she told the court.
Britney claimed she had an IUD that prevented pregnancy and alleged that the conservatorship would not allow her to have it removed. However, Jamie disputed the suggestion that he was responsible for that restriction. His attorneys emphasized that he had not served as conservator of Britney’s person since 2019 and said he had no involvement in her medical treatment or reproductive decisions at the time of her testimony.
“Mr. Spears is simply not involved in any decisions related to Ms. Spears’ personal care or medical or reproductive issues,” his legal team stated in documents obtained by The Blast.
Britney Spears Said The Conservatorship Destroyed Her Creativity
Beyond the individual restrictions, Britney said the conservatorship fundamentally changed her identity. She described feeling infantilized and compared herself to a “robot” who was expected to behave provocatively onstage while remaining obedient in her private life.
Britney claimed the arrangement gradually robbed her of the creativity and independence that had fueled her career. She also explained that she initially cooperated because she believed following the rules would preserve her relationship with her sons.
After years of legal conflict, the court suspended Jamie as conservator of her estate in September 2021. Judge Brenda Penny terminated the conservatorship on November 12, 2021.
