The saga surrounding Britney Spears’s conservatorship, in the wake of the documentary Framing Britney Spears, continues to unravel. As everybody from her contemporaries to her friends from the past weigh in, two key figures in her story have spoken out about the situation: her father Jamie and Paris Hilton.
After the Framing Britney Spears documentary aired last month, a court ruled that Jamie Spears was not allowed to return to his position as conservator of Britney’s estate. A new conservator is being appointed in the meantime, but Jamie Spears’ lawyer has issued a statement on his thoughts surrounding the situation. Apparently, he too wants the conservatorship to come to an end, but his stance on it seems to feel a little like gaslighting; an attempt to deflect the blame from Britney’s oppressors back on to Britney herself.
“[Jamie] would love nothing more than to see Britney not need a conservatorship,” Jamie’s lawyer, Vivian Lee Thoreen told CNN. “Whether or not there is an end to the conservatorship really depends on Britney. If she wants to end her conservatorship, she can file a petition to end it.
“Jamie is not suggesting that he is the perfect dad or that he would receive any ‘Father of the Year’ award,” she added. “Like any parent, he doesn’t always see eye-to-eye on what Britney may want. But Jamie believes every single decision he has made has been in her best interest.”
Meanwhile, the wider public continues to debate what’s going on with Britney, and old friend Paris Hilton, who appeared in Framing Britney Spears, spoke more about the conservatorship on her podcast This is Paris.
“It makes me feel really sad for her because she’s such a sweet girl and has such a big heart,” Paris said, adding they hadn’t spoken in a few months but still keep in touch 14 years after their friendship became catnip for tabloid media. “I just can’t imagine being controlled like that. When you’re an adult and you’ve worked your whole life to build this empire, and then to be treated like a child is not fair.”
Jamie Spears was appointed the conservator of Britney’s estate in 2008, meaning that decisions that influence Britney’s finances and professional life are signed off and ultimately controlled by him. He stepped aside in 2019 citing ill health, and since then a lengthy legal battle that inspired the #FreeBritney movement has worked to ensure he can’t return to that position, eventually leading to Britney regaining control over the work she does and where her money is spent. A thorough breakdown of the story, and Britney’s wider legacy, can be found here.