Britney is finally free from the clutches of her conservatorship that has seen her personal and financial liberties drastically reduced for 13 years.
Judge Brenda Penny ended the arrangement on November 12th with immediate effect, much to the elation of her fans that had gathered outside the Los Angeles courthouse.
Let’s be honest – it’s been coming. The #FreeBritney movement gained huge traction in 2021 and a series of documentaries that delved into the legality and morality of her conservatorship shot the singer back into the limelight, to which she is no stranger.
The 39-year-old singer from Mississippi took to Instagram recently and addressed some of the pressing issues her fans are desperate to hear more about since she won her freedom.
“I’ve been in the conservatorship for 13 years. It’s a really a long time to be in a situation you don’t want to be in, so I’m just grateful for each day and being able to have the keys to my car, to be able to be independent and feel like a woman. Owning an ATM card, seeing cash for the first time … It’s the little things.”
Speaking to her 36 million followers, she continued: “I’m not here to be a victim. I’m here to be an advocate for people with real disabilities and real illnesses, so hopefully my story will make an impact and make some changes in the corrupt system.”
Jamie Spears, Britney’s father, hadn’t been in control of her estimated $70 million estate since 2019 and filed papers to have the conservatorship terminated in September.
In documents obtained by the BBC, Jamie’s lawyers claimed that he “unconditionally loves and supports his daughter. Full stop.” But Britney’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart accused her father of financial misconduct and “reaping millions of dollars from his daughter’s estate.”
In June, Britney asked a judge to end the “abusive” arrangement and said she was “traumatised”.
So what’s next now she’s free? The star has been pretty active on social media since the ruling and has struck up a heart-warming friendship with fellow singer Lady Gaga on their respective Instagram stories.
The compliments began during a red-carpet interview Lady Gaga took part in, when she said: “The way that she was treated in this business was really wrong, and the way that women are treated in the music industry is something that I wish would change. I think she will forever be an inspiration to women.”
Britney replied by posting a clip of Gaga with the caption: “Thank you @ladygaga for genuinely taking your time to say something kind. You made me cry !!! I love you !!!”
Gaga continued to wax lyrical about Britney in her own story and said: “Love you @britneyspears. Live your best life. I prayed for the legal system to treat you like a person,” she wrote. “You’ve now changed the course for women in this industry forever. You stood up for yourself and were so brave. Thank you.”
One singer who isn’t exactly in Britney’s good books right now is Christina Aguilera. Again on Britney’s Instagram story, the “Toxic” singer shared footage of a recent press appearance where Christina was “refusing to speak” about her former friend and Mickey Mouse Club co-star.
Her caption was: “I love and adore everyone who supported me… But refusing to speak when you know the truth, is equivalent to a lie! Thirteen years being in a corrupt abusive system, yet why is it such a hard topic for people to talk about? I’m the one who went through it.”
Britney’s fiancé Sam Asghari used this Thanksgiving as an opportunity to thank the singer for supporting his acting career.
Speaking to Variety at Lady Gaga’s House of Gucci event, he said: “I’m just living my life and having a great moment, and I just want to thank [Spears] so much for putting me on the map as far as, you know, everything else that’s going on in my career. She helped me so much with that. Let’s be real.”
Britney recently hinted at an upcoming appearance on Oprah, so we could be hearing a lot more about what she’s been through and what she’s got planned from here on in very soon.
SEE MORE: Lady Gaga: “Kindness is the thing I care about the most”.