Wearing a pink satin dress, with her mane of blonde hair tossed to one side, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was just another Britney Spears Instagram post.
But the photo shared by the former pop star in June was a long way from the whimsical stock images she normally prefers and a million miles from those manic, provocative videos.
And that’s because this particular photograph featured her rarely seen son, Jayden.
Amid the chatter about Britney’s mental health, the terminated ‘conservatorship’ – in which her life was effectively managed by her father – and the sundry short-lived romances, the image offered a brief glimmer of hope. That Britney was finally rebuilding her relationship with her children.
But just as the troubled star, 43, reconciles with Sean, 20, and Jayden, 19 – from whom she was forced to separate as children – ex-husband Kevin Federline, their father, looks set to jeopardise the precarious reunion.
Federline, 47, who was married to the singer for from 2004 to 2007, is releasing a tell-all autobiography this month, and sources tell me Britney is ‘nervous as hell’ and ‘deeply concerned’.
Britney was ‘blindsided’ by the former dancer’s decision to write about their relationship in the book, You Thought You Knew, and those close to her believe that forcing the singer to relive that period of her life will be intensely ‘triggering’.
Britney posted a picture with her youngest son, Jayden Federline, in June, sparking hope that she is finally rebuilding her relationship with her children
Britney Spears and Kevin Federline were married for about three years before their divorce was finalised in 2007
While she did touch upon her whirlwind romance with Federline in her own best-selling 2023 memoir The Woman in Me, Britney felt she had held her tongue in a bid to preserve the relationship with her children.
Now, she is concerned that Kevin will not afford her the same courtesy – and is worried she will be picked apart, not as an artist or a woman, but as a mother.
‘She is deeply concerned about this book. She feels that she held back on much in her book and worries how she will come across, especially as a mother,’ a business associate of the star tells me.
‘The birth of her two children and then their split caused the most fragile times in her life along with the terrifying post-partum depressions.
People can say what they want about Britney, but the one thing at her core is that she holds being a mother as her greatest achievement. She might not have the relationship with the boys she dreamed of, but her heart is all about those kids
‘At times she felt that Kevin was against her being released from her conservatorship too.’
The insider, who worked with Britney on a number of her music deals and also on her Las Vegas residency, said there have been ‘huge tensions’ between Britney and Kevin over the years.
In particular, the singer feels Kevin ‘abandoned’ her after the birth of their children. In 2008, as she struggled with a mental health crisis, a court in Los Angeles awarded him sole custody of the boys.
For many years they had little to no contact with their mother, although she continued to pay child support until Jayden turned 18 last year. The separation caused the ‘greatest pain and stress’ of her life, say friends.
The same year, Britney was locked into a legal conservatorship, with father Jamie Spears appointed to oversee her estate and her spending. She alleged that the arrangement was ‘abusive’ and, amid much public support, it was terminated in 2021.
‘Her vulnerable state back then is not something she wants to relive in his book,’ continues the insider.
‘She felt under her father Jamie’s control. Her mental health issues were held against her for years – and used to control and manipulate her.
‘All these times in her life are triggering. When she did her own memoir it was a deeply troubling experience. Who knows what this could do.’
Britney rarely speaks about the father of her two children in public but privately, to aides and friends, she has expressed fury at Federline for ‘abandoning her’ during her ‘times of need.’
Her raunchy and often erratic social media posts, some of which show her barely clothed and dancing provocatively, represent Britney ‘expressing her torture’, claimed a business associate.
‘She has a lot to say about Kevin.
‘She knows how much her sons look up to their dad and have been centred in his world, and worries about impacting on that relationship.
‘In truth, I feel that she held back in her memoir from spilling her whole truth because she was worried it would cut her off from the boys forever – and that they may never forgive her. It is a precarious situation.
‘They are still working towards having a relationship with their mum and [becoming] high-profile teens. All these matters are very, very delicate to them.
‘People can say what they want about Britney, but the one thing at her core is that she holds being a mother as her greatest achievement.
‘She might not have the relationship with the boys she dreamed of, but her heart is all about those kids.’
The former pop singer became estranged from Jayden and Sean Preston (right) after their father was given sole custody in their divorce proceedings. Pictured in 2013
An insider has told Jennifer Ruby that there have been ‘huge tensions’ between Britney and Kevin over the years
A press release for Kevin’s memoir, to be released on October 21, teasingly suggests that he plans to discuss the marriage, their post-divorce relationship, and fatherhood.
‘I achieved my biggest dreams, dealt with crushing heartbreak and endured constant ridicule, all while becoming the father my children needed as they experienced non-stop emotional turbulence,’ it reads.
‘If you’ve ever had questions, you’ll find answers here.’
A former boyfriend of Britney, who asked not to be named, expressed his ‘doubt’ over whether Federline even loved the singer during their romance.
‘It is complicated in so many ways. First I think Kevin walked out on their marriage and then used the California legal system to effectively fund his life [while] raising the two boys,’ he said.
‘He has been paid millions of dollars from her earnings.
‘I doubt he ever loved her seriously. And in many ways he was the rebound after Britney and Justin Timberlake broke up and she was emotionally vulnerable from aborting their child.’
He continued: ‘There were times when Britney could and should have been allowed to build a relationship with them. It didn’t happen and he has only to look in the mirror to know why.
‘Having said that, Kevin has tried to protect Sean Preston and Jayden as they grew up and the world saw their mother so publicly dealing with issues and in the conservatorship.
‘For them, being in school around kids who saw what happened was challenging. Kevin was determined to provide them with the most stable surroundings.’
Federline is also father to daughter Kori, 23, and son Kaleb, 21 – whose mother is his ex-fiancée Shar Jackson – as well as Jordan, 14, and Peyton, 11, his daughters with wife Victoria Prince.
Britney’s most recent ex-husband, Sam Asghari, 31, to whom she was married for just over a year before they split in August 2023, recently took a swipe at Federline.
He described him as a ‘professional father’ and said of his forthcoming book: ‘I think Kevin has the opportunity to explain to people and teach people how to change diapers because he has changed many diapers.
‘So if you write something like that, and if I have a child, I would love to read that book and sort of get [a] diapers-for-dummies type of thing. It would be great.’
Kevin hit back, saying: ‘I’m not too worried about what Sam thinks. But I do love the tagline “professional father’’.’
While waiting to read what Federline has written about her, Britney is also dealing with pressure from some family members to ‘make peace’ with her father.
‘Jamie has wanted to reconcile, with friends and relatives lobbying for that,’ said the insider. But Britney has long-term trust issues with him stemming from the conservatorship.
‘She blames him for being in a “prison” created by him and feels scared that he might have the power to replicate that control again. There is no way she will ever overcome that fear.
‘Her trust of those in her family circle pushing for a reunion is very damaged,’ said the insider. ‘Only her brother Bryan really has a stable place in her life.
‘Whether she will ever see [her father] again remains in doubt.’
Whatever is written in the 228 pages of Kevin’s memoir, one thing is for certain: Britney will always have the support of her diehard fan base.
They helped her break free of her conservatorship – and will happily take on a disgruntled ex-husband too.
