The “Toxic” singer last month successfully had her father Jamie Spears removed from the conservatorship, which she has slammed as “abusive”, and a temporary replacement of her choosing was appointed.
Judge Brenda Penny then also agreed to a request from Britney’s lawyer to set another “short hearing” to formalise the “uncontested termination” of the conservatorship itself.
“This week is gonna be very interesting for me! I haven’t prayed for something more in my life,” the singer wrote in a now-deleted Instagram caption this week.
Following is a timeline of key events in the life of Britney Spears, now 39.
1992: Britney is cast in television show “The Mickey Mouse Club” at age 10 with Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Ryan Gosling.
1997: She signs a record contract at age 15.
1998: Aged 16, Britney releases debut single “…Baby One More Time”. In 1999, her debut album of the same name tops the charts in 15 nations.
2000: Second studio album “Oops! …I Did It Again” breaks records. Britney confirms she is dating Timberlake.
2001: Britney performs as a guest at the Super Bowl halftime show and releases third album.
2002: Britney stars in her first movie, “Crossroads”. Her relationship with Timberlake ends.
2003: Britney kisses Madonna on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards, causing a scandal.
2004: Britney marries childhood friend Jason Alexander in a surprise ceremony in Las Vegas. The marriage is annulled three days later. Nine months later, she marries dancer Kevin Federline.
2005: Son Sean Preston is born. Britney wins her first and only Grammy award for “Toxic.”
2006: Second son Jayden James is born. Two months later, Britney files for divorce.
2007: Britney enters and drops out of rehab twice in a matter of days, shaves her head at a salon in LA, and goes back into rehab. Pursued by paparazzi, her behaviour grows increasingly erratic and she loses custody of her two sons. She releases fifth studio album and performs “Gimme More” at the MTV Video Music Awards but appears dazed.
2008: Britney is twice hospitalised under psychiatric hold and is placed under a court-ordered conservatorship in which her father Jamie and a lawyer take control of her personal and business affairs. The nature of her mental illness is not disclosed. In December, her comeback album “Circus” is released, and in 2009 she embarks on a world tour to promote it.
2011: Britney releases her seventh studio album and embarks on another tour.
2012: Britney joins the US version of “The X Factor” TV talent show as a judge.
2013: She begins a two-year residency in Las Vegas and releases her eighth studio album. The residency is extended for another two years.
20l6-2018: Britney releases ninth studio album, goes on the “Piece of Me” world tour, and announces another Las Vegas residency for 2019. She performs for the last time in public in October 2018 at the Formula One Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.
2019: Britney announces an “indefinite work hiatus” and cancels her planned Las Vegas residency, citing concern over the health of her father. She enters a mental health facility saying she is taking “a little me-time”. The #FreeBritney movement is started by fans who believe she is being held against her will under the conservatorship.
August 2020: Britney’s lawyer asks for the singer’s father to be replaced as her conservator. Jamie calls the #FreeBritney movement “a joke”.
February 2021: The documentary “Framing Britney Spears” is aired, bringing wider attention to the conservatorship. Britney says she was “embarrassed by the light they put me in” and cried for two weeks. An attorney for Jamie notes that the singer has never asked for the conservatorship to be terminated.
June 17: Britney says she “has no idea” whether she will ever take the stage again and is “having fun right now”.
June 23: In an emotional public address to court, Britney calls the conservatorship abusive and humiliating and says she wants her life back. She says she was forced into a mental health facility in 2019, given powerful drugs, and wants a contraceptive device removed.
July 5: Britney’s manager of 25 years resigns, saying the singer has indicated she wants to retire.
July 14: Britney gets the right to choose her own lawyer for the first time, and tearfully begs court to oust her father and charge him with conservatorship abuse.
July 26: Her new lawyer requests that Jamie be removed as conservator, calling the arrangement “increasingly toxic”.
Aug 12: Jamie says he is willing to step aside as conservator of the singer’s US$60 million (RM250 million) estate but gives no timeline.
Sept 7: In a surprise move, Jamie Spears files petition to end conservatorship.
Sept 12: Britney and boyfriend of four years Sam Asghari announce their engagement.
Sept 24: Documentary “Controlling Britney Spears” says Jamie monitored the singer’s phone and text messages and that a listening device was placed in her bedroom.
Sept 29: Judge suspends Jamie as conservator and sets hearing to discuss ending the entire conservatorship. Britney’s lawyer says he will investigate Jamie for conservatorship abuse.
Oct 4: Britney thanks the #FreeBritney movement for their support.
Nov 2: Lawyer for Britney files court documents seeking to question Jamie under oath about how the pop singer’s money was spent during the conservatorship.
Nov 12: Court in Los Angeles to hold a hearing to discuss whether to terminate the conservatorship.