Here’s a Timeline of Britney Spears and Mom Lynne Spears’ Ups and Downs Through the Years
Britney Spears has had a very rocky relationship with mom Lynne Spears
Over the years, there has been tension between Britney Spears and her mother, Lynne Spears. Following a string of personal setbacks, Britney was placed under a conservatorship in 2008, overseen by her father Jamie Spears, nearly ten years after making her breakthrough with her debut single. Until the 13-year conservatorship ended in November 2021, Jamie had authority over his eldest daughter's assets and person for a considerable amount of time, and the animosity between Britney and her family persisted well after it ended. Here's a breakdown of Britney’s relationship with her mother:
May 2000
When Britney made her pop debut in 1999 with Baby One More Time, Lynne was a staunch advocate for her daughter's aspirations. Britney Spears' Heart to Heart, which was released a year later, was even co-written by the two of them. Following her divorce from Kevin Federline, Britney was placed under conservatorship eight years later. The details of Lynne's involvement in the conservatorship remained hidden, but years later, Britney would claim that her father had organized the conservatorship with her mother's approval.
May 2019
A source told Us Weekly that Lynne wanted to see her daughter return to treatment, which "angered" Britney, despite Britney's cries for the conservatorship to be ended. Lynne submitted a request to be involved in decisions about the Glee alum's finances while Britney's court struggle dragged on. The court finally rejected the petition. In a court hearing, Britney broke her silence over the terms of the conservatorship. Gladstone Jones, Lynne's attorney, supported Lynne, calling her a "very concerned mother."
June 2022
Following Us Weekly's confirmation from a source that Britney's parents and siblings were not invited to her wedding to the Hacks actor, Lynne posted her congratulations on Instagram. “You look radiant and so happy,” she wrote via Instagram. “Your wedding is the ‘Dream’ wedding! And having it at your home makes it so sentimental and special! I am soooo happy for you! I love you!”
August 2022
In an August 2022 audio tape, Britney said that the conservatorship "literally killed me" and that her family was to blame. “How much effort and work and heart I put into what I did when I did work, even down to the details of how many rhinestones are going to be in my costumes. I care so much. And they killed me,” she claimed in her since-deleted video, per Us Weekly. “They threw me away. That’s what I felt — I felt like my family threw me away.” Lynne said on Instagram that she is still in Britney's corner in response to her accusations. "Britney, your whole life I have tried my best to support your dreams and wishes! And also, I have tried my best to help you out of hardships,” she wrote at the time. "I have never and will never turn my back on you! Your rejections to the countless times I have flown out and calls make me feel hopeless! I have tried everything. I love you so much, but this talk is for you and me only, eye to eye, in private.”
October 2022
Lynne apologized for her behavior after Britney revealed on Instagram that she was having an “extremely hard time” letting go of the past. “I'm so sorry for your pain! I have been sorry for years! I love you so much and miss you,” Lynne wrote, requesting that Britney unblock her. In response to Lynne's wishes, Britney said, "Take your apology and go f—k yourself," adding that she wishes “you all burn in hell!” The songstress even shared an instance of her mother using physical violence against her for coming home late. "My mother was watching [my sons] Jayden and Preston … yes I partied till like 4 am and my mother was PISSED ... I walked in, she looked at me and slapped me so hard that I will never forget it !!!”
May 2023
“My sweet mama showed up at my doorstep yesterday after 3 years … it’s been such a long time,” Britney revealed on Instagram. She shared, “And after being able to communicate what I’ve held in for an extremely long time, I feel so blessed we were able to try to make things RIGHT!!! I love you so much!!!” The musician mentioned that she should have coffee with her mother, something she was denied throughout her lengthy conservatorship. The reunion wasn't planned, an exclusive insider informed Us Weekly one month later. "Britney didn't know her mother was coming into town. Britney's team wanted it to be a surprise because they didn't want Britney to say no," the insider revealed in June 2023. "They were able to talk things out. Britney felt understood for the first time in years."
October 2023
When her first memoir, The Woman in Me, was published in October, Britney did not hold back when talking about her strained familial ties. She realized during a visit, she wrote in the memoir, that she "never wanted" to see her family again because Lynne had supposedly thrown out binders of her poems and her prized Madame Alexander doll collection, per US Weekly. Following several weeks, Lynne declared that Britney's possessions were still kept at her residence and that she would be delighted to send them to the pop sensation if she wanted.
December 2023
By December 2023, Britney was “really happy with where things seem to be headed with her mom,” and although they “still have a lot to work through,” the insider told US Weekly that “the door for communication has been opened, and they’ve been in contact very often lately.” The mom-daughter duo planned to have Christmas together, but later Britney felt like it was too soon. “Britney understands that her mom would have loved for her to visit for Christmas but she just felt like it was too soon,” the insider shared. “Britney is in a really good place and would love to continue maintaining her relationship with her mom. But she just wants to take her time. She doesn’t feel like there’s a need to rush anything.”
