Britney Spears' Dad Defends Controversial 13-Year Conservatorship: 'I Don't Know If She'd Be Alive'

Brittney Spears' father is speaking up after the controversial conservatorship that lasts for 13 good years.

James Spears has faced a lot of backlash over the years following the 2008 conservatorship that finally ended in November. However, he continues to claim that it was all in his best interest for Britney. 

In an interview with The Daily Mail on Sunday—his first in a decade—Spears defended his decision.

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"Not everybody's going to agree with me."

"It's been one hell of a time. But I love my daughter with all my heart and soul."

"Where would Britney be right now without that conservatorship?"

"I don't know if she'd be alive. I don't."

"For protecting her, and also protecting the kids, conservatorship was a great tool."

"Without it, I don't think she would have got the kids back."

Spears continued that over the last few years, his relationship with his grandkids has weakened.

"I miss my two boys really, really bad. I do."

"You know, we were very, very close. They were around that age where you could start having a good time with them."

"But they were developing a mind of their own. God makes things happen for a reason."

"I don't know what that reason is, but it's been a tough three years without them."

"The family's a mess. All we can do is keep praying."

Though Britney always publicly shared her opposition to the conservatorship—which launched the #FreeBritney movement—Jamie defended his decision.

He claimed it "made a difference" in his daughter's well-being mentally, physically and financially.

"She had no money whatsoever."

"The conservatorship set a resource where she could get back financially."

"And, you know, we worked - and she worked - and she got herself straight up financially..."

"The conservatorship allowed the finances to be better."

He clarified:

"My understanding of a conservatorship is to help someone regain their life and return back to society, and to be able to live normally."

"I want to say that I made a difference."

"There were a few people behind me that really helped bring it to a point where we could help her."

Spears also stated that he knows that people hold negative views over this conservatorship but insists that no one knows the full story. 

He doesn't, however, "want to start something else."

"All I can say is that most people don't have a clue what the truth is."

"Her lawyer doesn't have a clue what the truth is. The media has not heard the truth."

"They've head the allegations from Britney."

"I don't mind taking that beating because I know it's not true, and because I don't want to start something else."

"For my daughter to end up going further down the hole than she had been."

Many weighed in on Spears' claims.

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Spears said he is still hopeful reconciliation could be on the horizon with effort from all sides.

"Each individual has got lots of work to do."

"I don't know if some of them want to do the work or not."

"It's going to be a tough thing, but that's the goal."

"Like I say, family's not in good shape right now. That's all I can say."

"It's better - but we've got a lot of work to do."

While there are people who believe him, others say that he could be right but the conservatorship should have ended a long time ago when Britney started to get better.

Internet weighed in on the comments Spears made

Some though continue to believe that Spears is an opportunistic dad who took advantage of the situation