Britney Spears 'lost the bright star in her eyes' during her heartbreaking conservatorship battle, according to a close friend.
The Gimme More songstress, 41, was under the tight control of her father Jamie Spears and co-conservators since 2008.
The controversial conservatorship was terminated by a US judge last year, meaning she could finally make her own medical, financial and personal decisions.
It was during the courtroom battle Britney lost the spark in her eye as close pal Julianne Kaye claims something "was just so wrong".
The Hollywood make-up artist was just 23-years-old when she took on the job of a lifetime, accompanying Britney on tours around the world from Europe to Asia.
She struck up a close, almost sisterly, friendship with the star and saw first-hand the extraordinary pressure she was under after bursting onto the scene with Baby One More Time in 1998.
"[Britney] was a star, a huge star," Julianne told The Mirror. "During the conservatorship, that light that shined so brightly was gone.
"You could see it in her eyes. If you knew her, you saw something was just so wrong.
"Britney was my friend before she was my client. I mean in the sense of friendship over work. So, I really cared very deeply about her and I still do."
In November last year, Judge Brenda Penny ruled the conservatorship should come to an end - giving Britney control of her personal life and her money.
Her lawyer Mathew Rosengart asked the judge to end the conservatorship without a medical evaluation.
Britney did not attend the hearing but said in an Instagram post: "I love my fans so much it's crazy!!! I think I'm gonna cry the rest of the day!!!! Best day ever."
Her personal trainer boyfriend, now husband, Sam Asghari, wrote in a post: "History was made today. Britney is Free."
Judge Penny terminated the conservatorship without requiring any further mental evaluation and told the court: "The conservatorship of the person and the estate of Britney Jean Spears is hereby terminated."
Britney began behaving erratically in 2007 after her divorce from husband Kevin Federline was finalised and she lost custody of their two children.
She then made headlines for shaving her head and hitting a photographer's car with an umbrella, before being twice admitted to hospital under a temporary psychiatric assessment ruling.
In 2008, the conservatorship was set up. Looking back at this period, Julianne was aghast that the star was still working.
"She had her well-publicised breakdown and then when I saw her on X Factor or whatever show she was doing, it was like the lights were on but nobody was home," she said.
"And I was like, 'That's not Britney'. And I thought, 'God, if somebody just had a complete mental breakdown, why the f*** are they going back to work?'.
"She didn't look like herself ever again after that happened. I am friends with people that have worked with Britney throughout the conservatorship and the stories I've heard are crazy.
"She couldn’t have coffee. They would bug her room."
Julianne says she is delighted that Britney has her freedoms back, and hopes that the newly-married star finally finds peace again.
The make-up artist is now starring in new reality show, "Blowing LA," about the luxury hairstylists behind some of the biggest Hollywood stars, as well as having written a novel - Pop Tart - drawing on her experiences.
Blowing La launches on December 7 on Paramount +
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