Britney Spears's father agrees to step down as conservator of pop star's estate

Jamie Spears has agreed to step down from his longtime role as conservator of his daughter Britney Spears's estate, the pop star's lawyersaid on Thursday.

"We are pleased that Mr. Spears and his lawyer have today conceded in a filing that he must be removed," the singer's lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, said in a statement.

Jamie Spears, who has controlled his daughter's affairs since she suffered a mental health breakdown in 2008, agreed to step aside in court documents filed on Thursday.

The pop star has been seeking for months to remove her father from any say in her affairs. A court hearing to discuss her request had been set for late September in Los Angeles.

Rosengart called the decision by Jamie Spears "a major victory for Britney Spears and another step toward justice."

Pop star remains under personal conservatorship

Thursday's court document did not say when Jamie Spears would step down from his role in handling his daughter's $60-million US estate and said that he felt there were no grounds for immediately removing or suspending him.

But it added: "Even as Mr. Spears is the unremitting target of unjustified attacks, he does not believe that a public battle with his daughter over his continuing service as her conservator would be in her best interests.

"Mr. Spears intends to work with the court and his daughter's new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator," the court filing added.

Britney Spears, 39, remains under the care of a personal conservator, professional Jodi Montgomery. The nature of the singer's mental health issues have never been publicly revealed.

She spoke out emotionally in June against the court-appointed conservatorship, calling it abusive and humiliating.

Spears has not performed since 2018 and has said she will not return to the stage while her father retains control over her career.

The singer, who posts frequently on social media, made no immediate reference on Thursday to her father's decision to step aside.

Thursday's court document said Jamie Spears has always had his daughter's best interests at heart and has not coerced her to do anything.

"By her own admission, Ms. Spears is strong and stands up for what she wants. Mr. Spears has tried to do everything in his power to accommodate Ms. Spears'wishes, whether regarding her personal life, family, or career, while fulfilling his duties and obligations as conservator [and]protecting her from others."