NEWSBritney Spears' Conservatorship 'Has To Stay In Place,' May Last Forever
Oct. 6 2020, Updated 12:25 p.m. ET
Britney Spears' conservatorship battle has drawn much support from her fans. Now, her former estate manager Andrew Wallet expressed his views on the conservatorship status, and it's not something that a lot of people may have been expecting.
Wallet, whom Spears called "uniquely unsuited" to carry on the role of her co-conservator, said that the pop star could see her personal and financial affairs monitored for the rest of her life.
"The most important question is whether the conservatorship is in her best interests. That’s what you always have to ask yourself and I still absolutely believe that the conservatorship is in her best interests," Wallet told the Daily Mail on Monday, October 5, while stating his opinion for the first time on this matter. "It is not in Britney’s best interests to be outside the conservatorship but there’s a lot of politics involved. … Protecting her assets is very important and for that the conservatorship has to stay in place because she is susceptible to undue influences."
Wallet had to step down from the role of Spears' co-conservator in March 2019. He took the role with her dad, Jamie Spears, in 2008 and stepped down from the position due to health concerns. Her care manager, Jodi Montgomery, took over the role from him.
Since then, Spears has requested the court remove Jamie from her role as her co-conservator permanently. However, Jamie filed in August for Wallet to continue alongside him, but Wallet filed documents to withdraw the petition on the same day.
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"The conservatorship isn’t in place to make her do things she doesn’t want to do," Wallet told Daily Mail. "It’s in place to protect her. If she doesn’t want to work she doesn’t have to work. No one can force her. I have had people in conservatorship who have got themselves right and it has been terminated but you don’t see that because they’re not people in the public eye. Other people can be in a conservatorship their whole lives. I’m not saying that’s going to be Britney but it could happen to her."
Wallet also criticized #FreeBritney — a social media movement aimed at discrediting Jamie from being her co-conservator.
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"This movement on social media has definitely complicated matters. There are people lurking in the shadows pushing an agenda," he said. "I can’t say who but it is hurting Britney, she’s the only one who gets hurt by all this."
Jamie had earlier taken a jab at the movement, saying that the "conspiracy theorists" didn't know anything.
"It’s up to the court of California to decide what’s best for my daughter. It’s no one else’s business," Jamie had said.
Jamie has also denied rumors that he or someone else had been skimming money from what rightfully belonged to the "Toxic" singer.
"I have to report every nickel and dime spent to the court every year," he said. "How the hell would I steal something?"
