Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake Feud Escalates

Is it 2002? Because the feud between Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake appears to be back in full swing.

Dubbed the "Prince and Princess" of pop, the former teen idols began dating in 1999 but this was followed by a messy public split three years later.

However, the beef between pair was reignited in October, following the release of Spears' tell-all memoir, The Woman in Me.

Now Spears appears to have slammed Timberlake with a cryptic post on Instagram, after footage of the 43-year-old mocking his ex-girlfriend at a gig went viral.

Newsweek has reached out to Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears for comment via email.

Here is everything you need to know about the clash between the two pop legends, and the social media post that has taken their quarrel to the next level.

Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears' Relationship

Spears and Timberlake first met as pre-teens on the Disney variety show The Mickey Mouse Club. Her fellow mouseketeer was Spears' first kiss, with the pair smooching to a Lionel Richie record at a sleepover.

They reunited in 1998, after Spears opened for Timberlake's boyband, NSYNC. They began dating in 1999, going public with their high-profile romance in 2000.

Did Justin Timberlake Cheat on Britney Spears?

Spears revealed tidbits of their relationship in her 2023 memoir, The Woman in Me. This included cheating on both sides. The 41-year-old said she ignored signs of Timberlake's infidelity because she was "so in love," but came to the conclusion that he'd "slept around."

Spears also confessed to making out "all night" with Wade Robson, who had choreographed the dance for her "I'm a Slave 4 U" music video.

"I was loyal to Justin for years, only had eyes for him with that one exception, which I admitted to him," she wrote. "We moved past it and stayed together."

Abortion at Age 19

Spears also revealed that she had an abortion during her relationship with Timberlake, which she described as "one of the most agonizing things I have ever experienced in my life."

"It was a surprise, but for me, it wasn't a tragedy," she wrote. "I loved Justin so much. I always expected us to have a family together one day. This would just be much earlier than I'd anticipated."

However, Timberlake was unhappy about the news, believing they were too young.

"I agreed not to have the baby. I don't know if that was the right decision," Spears continued. "If it had been left up to me alone, I never would have done it. And yet Justin was so sure that he didn't want to be a father."

Fans have speculated that Spears' 2003 single "Everytime" was inspired by her abortion.

What Did Justin Timberlake Do to Britney Spears?

Timberlake dumped Spears by text message in 2002, following months of "standoffish behavior."

"I think that was because he'd decided to use me as ammunition for his record, and so it made it awkward for him to be around me staring at him with all that affection and devotion," she speculated in The Woman in Me.

The "Baby One More Time" singer was "devastated" by the split. However, the former boyband star leaned into rumors that Spears was unfaithful to him and discussed their sex life in interviews during the promotion of debut album, Justified.

The video for his single "Cry Me a River" featured a Spears lookalike, with the song written from the perspective of a man who has been cheated on. It was first single by Timberlake to land a top 10 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, but the ensuing gossip dented Spears' public image.

"In the news media, I was described as a harlot who'd broken the heart of America's golden boy," she said. "There's always more leeway in Hollywood for men than for women. And I see how men are encouraged to talk trash about women in order to become famous and powerful. But I was shattered."

Fans Threaten to Cancel Justin Timberlake

After splitting up with Timberlake, Spears wed dancer Kevin Federline and had two sons, Sean Preston, 18, and Jayden James, 17. Timberlake tied the knot with actress Jessica Biel in 2012, with whom he shares Silas, 8 and Phineas, 3.

However, the feud between the former couple was reignited in October, following the publication of the The Woman in Me.

Fans turned on Timberlake, accusing the singer of profiting from Spears' pain to launch his solo career. Many attempted to "cancel" the Emmy winner, putting a rumored comeback at risk.

Fans Make Britney Spears' Track 'Selfish' #1 on iTunes U.S.

Timberlake released his new single, "Selfish," on January 25, with the track going straight to #1 on the U.S. iTunes top 100 chart. However, Spears' supporters were unhappy with the song's success.

Fans across the world worked to make Spears' 2011 single of the same name #1 on iTunes, which they achieved in the U.S. and several other countries.

What Did Britney Spears Say About Justin Timberlake on Instagram?

On Sunday, Spears publicly apologized to Timberlake for the trolling he received as a result of her memoir.

"I wanna apologize for some of the things I wrote about in my book. If I offended any of the people I genuinely care about I am deeply sorry," she wrote on Instagram.

Justin Timberlake Mocks Britney Spears Apology During Gig

While performing in New York on Wednesday night, Timberlake appeared to hit out at Spears.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to absolutely f***** nobody," he told the crowd.

His words sparked backlash online, with social media users calling Timberlake "disgusting" and a "loser."

In response, Spears seemed to take back her apology with a cryptic post on Instagram on Thursday.

"Someone told me someone was talking s***about me on the streets !!!," the Grammy winner wrote. "Do you want to bring it to the court or will you go home crying to your mom like you did last time ??? I'm not sorry !!!"

As the spat between the stars ramps up, Spears' fans have sent another of the singer's past tunes soaring up the U.S. iTunes chart. A bonus track from her 2016 album Glory, titled "Liar," is now sitting at #14, two spots ahead of Timberlake's "Selfish."