Britney Spears’ complicated relationship with her sons has been back in the headlines in recent weeks after it was revealed that her ex husband, Kevin Federline, plans to relocate them to Hawaii.
Britney shares 17-year-old Preston and 16-year-old Jayden with Kevin, who was granted sole custody of the boys in 2008 after Britney was placed under a controversial conservatorship.
The conservatorship was terminated in November 2021, but Britney’s relationship with her sons has remained strained. In August, Kevin told the Daily Mail that the boys had been choosing not to see their mom for months.
Jayden later added to ITV News that he and his brother need to “heal” their “mental state” and “process all the emotional trauma” they’d been through.
Britney responded to this interview with an Instagram post, where she accused Jayden of being “hateful” because her child support payments of a reported $40,000 a month were due to stop in a couple of years, once they turn 18.
“So, Jayden, as you undermine my behavior just like my whole family always has with, ‘I hope she gets better, I will pray for her,’” she said in the now-deleted audio clip. “Pray for what? I keep working so I can pay off mom’s legal fees and her house? Do you guys want me to continue to get better so I can continue giving your dad 40 grand a month?”
“Or is the reason you guys have decided to be hateful is that it’s actually over in two years and you don’t get anything?” Britney added.
Despite this tension, Britney also regularly speaks about how much she loves and misses her sons. Last month — ahead of the news that she had approved Kevin’s request to move to Hawaii — the star wrote on Instagram, “I miss my children desperately and think of them everyday.”
And on Sunday, Britney shared some more insight into her relationship with Preston as she reacted to a controversial report that he and Kevin fear she is taking hardcore drugs.
The Mail published an article with the headline “Britney Spears' family say they fear she is on METH and will die like Amy Winehouse: Father of her boys Kevin Federline says loved-ones are 'terrified' she is on the Breaking Bad drug - son Preston says 'I hope she'll listen to us... before it's too late’” on Saturday, with journalist Daphne Barak writing the article after spending time with Kevin, the boys, and Britney’s estranged family.
The following day, Kevin told TMZ that the story wasn’t true, and while he had invited Daphne into his home, the “trust was lost and we severed ties back in March.” He added, "It saddens our family that Daphne Barak and Erbil Gunasti have decided to fabricate lies and publish the heartache our family has endured, along with the trauma of our minor children.”
Britney’s attorney, Mathew Rosengart, has also slammed the Mail article as “false and defamatory,” with Page Six reporting that he has since sent a legal letter to the publication.
In addition to the mention of drug use in the article, Daphne reports that Kevin’s wife Victoria had shut down her suggestion that Jayden’s talent on the piano is a “legacy from his superstar mom.”
“'No!' she said. 'Britney used to yell at Jayden for practicing the piano at her home. He was making too much noise. It was us, me, who encouraged Jayden to practice,’” Daphne writes.
And it appears that the entire article has had an impact on Britney, with the star posting a stock photo of a little girl being bullied to her Instagram page alongside an emotional caption.
Alluding to the article, Britney wrote: “The fact that people are claiming things that are not true is so sad ... This may not even be them saying such things because it doesn't make any sense to me for them to be saying that …”
She then referenced Preston directly before subtly rebutting Victoria’s reported claims about Jayden.
“With Preston saying ‘she needs to listen to us before it's too late’ … Do you remember every visit you came to my home, you went into your room and locked the door ??? I never saw you guys …” Britney said. “Jayden played the piano and we made music together … But the day I told him I wanted to see you guys more, I never saw you again.”
