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Britney Spears has been “antagonized” by efforts from estranged family members urging her to reunite with her estranged father, Jamie Spears.
A Los Angeles associate of Britney — who has regular contact with her friend group and her family —exclusively tells Page Six that the troubled pop star is “on edge” over the prospect of Jamie coming back into her life after her DUI arrest.
On his part, Jamie — who ran Britney’s conservatorship for 12 years — “doesn’t want to remain disconnected from his daughter” anymore.
“He wants the chance to be able to talk with her and find some middle ground,” the associate says.
The associate also claims that Britney’s sons, Sean Preston, 20, and Jayden, 19, have been supportive voices of Jamie, 73, and the possibility of their grandpa reconciling with their mom.
“Even the boys have gotten back into their grandad’s life after some tough times,” the insider says. “They would welcome a united family despite all the years of drama.”
The 44-year-old singer, however, “is antagonized by the subject” of her father.
“There is long-term hatred and loathing that may never be overcome,” the source tells us. “Jamie puts Britney on edge, and her moods get deeply dark around the prospect of him being in her life … despite efforts by people in her life for some reunion.”
“That has increased in recent months with the boys being around more. There is a direct correlation between that stress and Britney turning to alcohol to numb that pain. Sadly she will always view her father as a villain, because of how she felt trapped and controlled within the conservatorship.”
The insider adds, “She hated having to adhere to regular doctor visits, therapy sessions, and medication plans. That is understandable for someone who is dealing with a bipolar condition. Obviously, a father overseeing the principle of that process is a tricky situation — not least emotionally — but her condition needed some medical supervision.”
Another source connected to the family told Page Six that Jamie “has suffered with health severely in recent years” and “is deeply hurt at how his daughter refuses to consider ever speaking to him again.”
“He held out hope when his life seemed in a perilous state that his daughter would visit him,” the source noted, “but that never happened.”
While the #FreeBritney movement presented the singer’s father as the villain, family friends claim that “Jamie only ever wanted to keep his daughter alive, and also financially solvent, in that order.”
“Jamie has consistently told those around him that he remains proud that he did ’save Britney’s life,’ no matter how the public may feel,” the family friends add.
They also alleged that there’s been “various failed attempts” to reunite Jamie and Britney, who “seems terrified” that her dad “will somehow regain the conservatorship, which obviously is a very challenging legal task and something Jamie doesn’t have the energy to consider.”
Back in 2021, Jamie’s lawyer, Vivian L. Thoreen, filed paperwork to assert the conservatorship was good for his daughter, despite the star being upset over her treatment.
Thoreen wrote: “The Probate Court is highly experienced in these matters and takes them very seriously.”
Before the conservatorship’s ending in November 2021, Jamie filed papers expressing his concerns about his daughter’s mental health.
Thoreen also outlined Britney’s alleged mental health issues in court filings at the time.
“If the public knew all the facts of Ms. Spears’ personal life, not only her highs but also her lows, all of the addiction and mental health issues that she has struggled with, and all of the challenges of the conservatorship, they would praise Mr. Spears for the job he has done; not vilify him,” she wrote.
“But the public does not know all the facts, and they have no right to know, so there will be no public redemption for Mr. Spears.”
“The conservatorship has provided Ms. Spears with a structure to help her navigate the daily challenges of her personal life, family matters, medical issues, and career. By nature, the structure includes safeguards to protect the conservatee from self-harm or harm from others,” added Thoreen.
“There is no doubt that the conservatorship saved Ms. Spears from disaster, supported her when she needed it the most, protected her and her reputation from harm, and facilitated the restoration of her career.”
Last fall, Britney’s ex Kevin Federline — with whom she shares her sons — expressed concern in his memoir that Britney could have the same fate as late pop divas like Whitney Houston and Amy Winehouse.
“This is what I’m warning people … there is a serious issue,” he wrote. “I don’t want this to be another Whitney. I don’t want this to be an Amy Winehouse [situation].”
Last week, Britney was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.
She is due to make a court appearance on May 4 at the Ventura County Superior Court.
“This was an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable,” her rep told Page Six after the arrest. “Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life.”
English (US)