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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Tamara Davison

Britney Spears and Sam Asghari — what went wrong?

Britney Spears’ husband, Sam Asghari, has reportedly filed for divorce after 14 months of marriage. While neither party is yet to publicly comment on the rumoured marriage breakdown, several outlets claimed that the Toxic singer was pictured without her wedding ring.

Many fans had been rooting for the couple ever since they met in 2016. Throughout the last seven years, the couple appeared to be on cloud nine and shared plenty of sweet moments on social media to prove it. But the question is, where did it all go wrong?

During the recent challenges that Spears faced – such as a conservatorship case against her father – Asghari had been her rock. However, it looks like the duo’s happily ever after is set to end prematurely.

The couple’s split has come as a surprise to many as they have always maintained a happy front in public. However, on closer inspection, they’ve hardly featured on each other’s social media profiles in recent months.

Here’s a breakdown of Britney and Sam’s relationship timeline and a look at where things may have gone awry.

October 2016

Britney first met Sam Asghari when they both worked alongside each other on the singer’s Slumber Party music video. In the video, Asghari is portrayed as her love interest yet sparks were also flying away from the cameras as well.

Later admitting that she was attracted to the Iranian model, Spears revealed that she eventually called Asghari and asked him out. The pair are understood to have privately started dating not long after meeting at the video shoot.

Britney Spears (Image Group LA/Disney Channel via Getty Images)

January 2017

In January 2017, Spears and Asghari made things Instagram official when Spears posted a happy picture alongside Asghari on New Year’s Day. Sending social media into meltdown, Britney’s fans were thrilled to see the musician smitten.

February 2018

As well as sharing several sweet pictures together throughout the year, a big milestone took place in February 2018 when the couple celebrated their first anniversary together.

Sharing the momentous moment on social media, Spears wrote: “I’ve been with this man for over a year. Everyday he inspires me to be a better person and that makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world!!”

Britney Spears and Sam Asghari (Britney Spears/Instagram)

July 2019

Again, the lovebirds kept their fans updated in the following with plenty of snaps on social media throughout the year as they enjoyed romantic outings and getaways.

In July 2019, Spears and Asghari made their red carpet debut in front of the paparazzi cameras. Attending the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood premiere, the couple looked loved up as they posed together for pictures.

February 2021

In the years following their red carpet debut, there was mounting concern among fans about the singer’s conservatorship agreement. Under the ruling of the 13-year conservatorship, Spears wasn’t allowed to make any financial or personal decisions about her life. Instead, her father oversaw all of the decision-making.

In February 2021, Asghari took to his social media stories to share his thoughts on what was happening to his partner.

Now it’s important for people to understand that I have zero respect for someone trying to control our relationship and constantly throwing obstacles our way,” he told his followers.

He added: “In my opinion Jamie is a total dick. I won’t be going into details because I’ve always respected our privacy but at the same time I didn’t come to this country to not be able to express my opinion and freedom.”

#FreeBritney activists protest at Los Angeles Grand Park ahead of the conservatorship hearing for the pop star (Getty Images)

September 2021

Days after Spears’ father filed to end the singer’s conservatorship, Asghari got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend. The budding actor proposed to Spears with a 4-carat diamond ring that had the word “lioness” engraved into it.

“I can’t f***ing believe it!!!!!!” she said on social media at the time, revealing that she’d accepted the proposal.

April 2022

During a romantic holiday, Spears also revealed another surprise when she confirmed that she was pregnant with the couple’s first child.

Announcing the news on social media, Spears wrote: I lost so much weight to go on my Maui trip only to gain it back … I thought “Geez … what happened to my stomach ???”

Sam Asghari is Britney Spears’ third husband (Getty Images for GLAAD)

“My husband said “No you’re food pregnant silly !!!” So I got a pregnancy test … and uhhhhh well … I am having a baby … 4 days later I got a little more food pregnant

“It’s growing !!! If 2 are in there … I might just lose it… I obviously won’t be going out as much due to the paps getting their money shot of me like they unfortunately already have … it’s hard because when I was pregnant I had perinatal depression … I have to say it is absolutely horrible … women didn’t talk about it back then … some people considered it dangerous if a woman complained like that with a baby inside her … but now women talk about it everyday … thank Jesus we don’t have to keep that pain a reserved proper secret … This time I will be doing yoga every day !!! Spreading lots of joy and love!!!”

May 2022

A month later the couple confirmed in a joint statement that she had lost the baby. At the time, the couple thanked people for their support and vowed to continue trying to expand their family.

June 2022

In June 2022, Spears and Asghari tied the knot in a romantic ceremony held at her home in Los Angeles. The musician reportedly walked down the aisle to Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling in Love before saying her vows nine months after their engagement.

Reports at the time revealed the couple were joined by an intimate group of around 60 guests that included famous faces such as Drew Barrymore and Paris Hilton.

August 2023

TMZ broke the news that Sam Asghari had filed for divorce from Britney Spears, citing “irreconcilable differences”. The report claimed the divorce was filed at the end of July after the couple had an “explosive” argument.

The latest revelations came three months after the same outlet claimed their relationship was “in deep trouble”.

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