Britney Spears needed conservatorship for own safety, sources say: 'This is what we feared'

Although the original arrangement, put in place with the aid of her father, Jamie Spears, was indisputably harsh, the pop princess suffers from very real mental health issues that require a lot of help, people who have been around her tell us.

Those who have known her tell Page Six they fear that she has turned to drink and drugs.

The "…Baby One More Time" singer, 42, was pictured looking distraught outside the infamous Hollywood haunt the Chateau Marmont on Wednesday night — hours after her divorce from her third husband Sam Asghari was finalized.

They were married for just a year.

The photographs raised uncomfortable memories of Spears' previous "meltdowns" in front of the cameras in 2007 and 2008.

One source tells us they worry she has turned to some kind of substance abuse, adding, "I hate to say it, but the way this is all going — this is what we feared." 

Spears was seen walking out of the legendary hotel barefoot, carrying a pillow and covered in a blanket.

We reported she had fought with her boyfriend, Paul Richard Soliz, which resulted in paramedics being called.

Soliz, who has been working on maintenance around Britney's LA home since 2022, has a lengthy criminal background, with charges for multiple misdemeanors including disturbing the peace, child endangerment and driving without a license.

In December 2020 he was arrested for possession of a firearm by a felon and unlawful possession of ammunition.

Soliz ended up pleading no contest and was sentenced to two years probation and served 90 days in jail.

Britney's 13-year conservatorship that guarded her finances and health was ended in November 2021 after public outrage at her treatment, particularly by her father.

Late last month, Britney's legal argument Jamie had fleeced her out of millions was settled, with the star paying her dad's estimated $2 million legal fees.

But an insider highly familiar with the court case and the internet campaign to #FreeBritney tells Page Six, "The narrative of Britney having been locked away for no good reason other than her dad being evil and wanting to work her for every last penny has always been wrong.

"There is no question that Jamie Spears is a flawed father and the way that Britney was put to work in Vegas was awful. It should never have happened.

"However, there is also no question that the conservatorship — and the interventions prior to it — happened for a reason and it wasn't because her dad wanted to make some nefarious money grab. 

"It was put in place because Britney has serious mental health issues and was going completely off the rails."

Before the latest incident, a source who knows Jamie tells us, "I have never believed that Jamie is the villain in this situation.

"I think he has been unfairly vilified by people who know nothing about the situation and have nothing to do with it. I hate to say it, but he could be vindicated."

The source points out that Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny never put Britney through an evaluation when she ended the conservatorship.

At the time, Judge Penny said there was "no need for a capacity declaration" of Spears, noting that it had been a voluntary conservatorship.

A former boyfriend of the singer, who dated her for several years while she was under the conservatorship, told Page Six, "I think she needs to get off all meds, avoid drugs and alcohol and pick up the Bible. 

"She always said, too, that she wanted to go home to Louisiana. I hope she does. I'm not sure why she's still in LA. It's a cesspool there."

He also dubbed Britney's manager and BFF, Cade Hudson, an "opportunist" and said Britney needs more "real people" around her.

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One insider familiar with the conservatorship case said, "So many many many guardrails were put into place — some could say a few too many, and perhaps for a little too long — but now that every last one of them has been removed?

"The world is getting to see what Britney is like when left to her own devices and it's not good."

Britney bizarrely even blamed her estranged mom, Lynne Spears, for Thursday's night incident.

The insider familiar with the conservatorship tells us, "It will be even harder now to get Britney under any kind of control.

"Her family can't go near her … I worry that everyone else who comes into her orbit only wants her money.

"It's an absolute tragedy and there is just absolutely no way for it to end well."

However Sam Lutfi, Britney's mysterious former manager tells us, "I managed Britney and lived with her and I never witnessed anything other than an amazing woman, a super talented artist and an incredibly hospitable roommate.

"If you had cameras on you 24/7 I can assure you that you'd have countless micro moments of embarrassing yet innocuous footage.

"Britney has dedicated her entire life to entertaining the world only to be stabbed in the back by her family, the media and the judicial system, all based on nonsensical press coverage.

"Britney hasn't harmed anyone, she's an independent woman, She deserves more respect and privacy — in fact, she's entitled to it."

Reps for Britney and Hudson declined to comment.