Proponents of the "Free Britney" movement hoped Britney Spears would finally get to live on her own terms when her conservatorship ended in November 2021. After more than 13 years, she finally had control over her life and had a supportive fiancé, Sam Asghari, whom she'd been dating since 2016. Fast-forward to August 2023, and multiple sources confirmed Britney and Sam were divorcing.
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As a refresher of their relationship timeline, Britney, 41, and Sam, 29, met on the set of her music video for "Slumber Party" and started dating shortly afterward. They got engaged in September 2021 before tying the knot in June 2022. Since then, reports have claimed that Britney has struggled with her mental health and personal relationships—including with Sam. So what happened? Let's take a closer look at what we know about Sam and Britney's breakup.
Britney Spears and Sam Asghari are divorcing after 14 months of marriage.
On August 16, TMZ was the first to report that Britney and Sam had split. Sources told the publication that Sam had already moved out of their home.
"It's only a matter of time before Sam files for divorce," the unnamed person told TMZ. A slew of other news outlets soon confirmed the breakup — and then several hours later, confirmed that Sam had indeed filed for divorce that day.
What happened between Britney and Sam? Why are they divorcing?
When news of Sam and Britney's breakup first came to light, Page Six reported that allegations of cheating played a part in their failed relationship. A huge fight reportedly went down a week prior when Sam "confronted Britney over rumors she stepped out on him," according to the publication. Until more details emerge, it's impossible to know for sure why they're divorcing.
Did Britney and Sam have a prenup?
Yes, Britney and Sam signed a prenuptial agreement before saying, "I do" in order to protect her estimated $60 million net worth. The prenup says Sam will receive “$1 million per every two years” of their marriage, with a cap at $10 million after 15 years, Us Weekly reports. Additionally, Sam waived claim to Britney's music catalog. Their home isn't in his name, either, and instead was put into an LLC.
Sam is reportedly seeking to 'negotiate concessions beyond his prenup.'
However, Page Six reported on August 16 that Britney's soon-to-be-ex-husband was allegedly “attempting to negotiate concessions beyond his prenup and threatening to go public with extraordinarily embarrassing information about Britney unless he gets paid.”
What have Britney and Sam said about their divorce?
Neither Britney nor Sam have publicly commented on their split. The "Toxic" singer did, however, post a strange message via Instagram on August 16.
"Buying a horse soon !!!" she wrote alongside a photo of herself riding a horse. "So many options it's kinda hard !!! A horse called Sophie and another called Roar ??? I can't make up my mind !!! Should I join the camaraderie and put a pink cowboy hat on ??? Either way I think I found my sweet spot with Roar !!!"
There were reports of marital problems before the news broke.
Rumors that Britney and Sam were experiencing relationship problems first started swirling in March 2023 when he was spotted without his wedding ring. However, Sam's rep, Brandon Cohen, denied the reports of trouble in paradise at the time. The rep told People the reason his client wasn't wearing it was because he was filming a movie.