Strange Things About Jamie Lynn Spears' Marriage
Jamie Lynn Spears and Jamie Watson give off those picture-perfect vibes, but a closer look reveals a few quirks in the tapestry of their marriage.
Jamie Lynn made headlines when she tied the knot with Watson in New Orleans on March 14, 2014. Front and center at the ceremony was Jamie Lynn's oldest daughter, Maddie, whom she shares with her former fiancé Casey Aldridge. Watson has since said that he knew Jamie Lynn was the one when he fell in love with her and Maddie. "I couldn't not be a part of her or Maddie's life," he confessed in the 2016 TLC special, "Jamie Lynn Spears: When the Lights Go Out." Following the ceremony, the couple celebrated with a reception at the Audubon Tea Room. And just in case you were wondering, yes, her big sis, Britney Spears, and her two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, were in attendance, along with Britney's boyfriend at the time, David Lucado.
As you may recall, Watson popped the big question more than a year earlier, in March 2013. Shortly after Jamie Lynn shared the news in a since-deleted Instagram post, her big sister Britney immediately gave the happy couple her blessing on X, formerly Twitter. "So excited and happy for my sister, congrats @jamielynnspears — love you," she tweeted. Years later, on April 11, 2018, the couple welcomed another daughter named Ivey Joan. Despite their seemingly normal family, here are a few strange things about their marriage.
Jamie Lynn Spears and Jamie Watson have a notable age gap
The heart has its own compass, and for Jamie Lynn Spears and Jamie Watson, their 9-year age difference is just part of the journey — and they're totally cool with it. In fact, Spears even likes to joke about it sometimes (especially since she's the younger one in the relationship).
On May 18, 2020, Spears took to Instagram to wish her hubby a happy birthday and slide in a little playful dig at the same time. "Gotta interrupt the #SWEETMAGNOLIAS countdown to tell my husband HAPPY BIRTHDAY Thanks for all the annoying crap you do for us.. we love you no matter how old you are," she penned in the celebratory post, along with several photos of Watson and their family together.
Still, Spears is quick to credit their age difference. In a more sentimental Instagram post, Jamie Lynn pondered over Watson's ability to give her a consistency in life she had never known before meeting him. "Maybe it was just because he was 10 years older, and had already established a successful life for himself both personally and professionally, but nonetheless, I felt a sense of peace with him, and I think that's what being in love is suppose to feel like, just feeling at peace," she admitted.
Jamie Lynn Spears wasn't immediately attracted to Jamie Watson
Jamie Lynn Spears has always prided herself on being very honest — sometimes to a fault. "As a kid, I was just very direct with no filter," she confessed while on "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here," as recounted by People. And as it turns out, she's the same way when discussing her relationship with Jamie Watson. Adding to the list of strange things about Spears' marriage is her willingness to admit that she wasn't immediately attracted to her future hubby. During her 2021 TLC special "Jamie Lynn Spears: When the Lights Go Out," Spears revealed that she actually thought Watson was "kind of awkward and kind of weird." She added, "He was always uncomfortable ... looking back though, I think it's kind of sweet because he was acting that way because obviously he liked me."
Watson, however, was careful to note that though it wasn't exactly love at first sight, "it was love pretty quick." Watson believes the two "grew on each other" and credits that for why they are still together today. Perhaps he's hit the nail on the head — so much for instant chemistry!
Jamie Watson had no idea who Jamie Lynn Spears was
Perhaps one of the strangest aspects of Jamie Lynn Spears' marriage is that upon their first meeting, Jamie Watson had no idea who she was and that her sister was pop superstar Britney Spears. "I did not know about the family. I didn't know she had a TV show. I didn't know anything about her," he explained in TLC's "Jamie Lynn Spears: When the Lights Go Out." Serious question here: Was he living under a rock? The world may never know!
It's clear that Watson's initial cluelessness about Jamie Lynn's fame through her connection to her superstar sister starkly contrasts with Jamie Lynn's reality of being universally recognized as Britney Spears' younger sibling. "Growing up, my sister became famous, worldwide famous, when I was very young," she explained during an episode of "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test" in January 2023. "I guess I just wanna like [proving that] I'm just like worth something," she added. Even as a precocious young child, Jamie Lynn aspired to make a name for herself. "My advice to Britney is to just scoot over because I'm coming through, and I'm gonna be the star pretty soon," she once playfully joked during a television interview.
Jamie Lynn Spears and Jamie Watson have very different careers
Another notable and somewhat strange element of Jamie Lynn Spears and Jamie Watson's union is their polar opposite careers. While Spears prefers the spotlight by way of her acting and singing endeavors, Watson prefers to remain firmly in the background. "I'm just a normal guy with a normal job," Watson declared during the TLC special, "Jamie Lynn Spears: When the Lights Go Out." The story goes that Watson runs a communications company called Advanced Media Partners.
Fortunately, this dynamic works well for the Watson family household. When Spears is off filming "Sweet Magnolias" and other projects, including "Zoey 102" and her brief stint on "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here," Watson is available to hold everything down on the homefront, including attending — and even coaching — Maddie and Ivey's softball games. As evidenced by his Instagram account, Watson spends many of his non-working hours on the softball field with their daughters and their teammates.
Jamie Watson has dealt with his fair share of in-law problems
All married couples have their struggles, but some might argue that marrying into the Spears family really takes the cake! Over the past few years, Jamie Lynn Spears has been in the news often as she has publicly sparred with her famous big sister, Britney Spears. Sadly, it got so bad that even Jamie Lynn's husband, Jamie Watson, felt he needed to step in and come to Jamie Lynn and her family's defense. "I can assure you her family loves her and wants the best for her," Watson told the New York Post's Page Six in June 2021. "I wouldn't be around people who weren't. Who wouldn't want to be in support of Britney?" he asked.
Still, Jamie Lynn is adamant that she will not let her extended family issues wreak havoc on the family she and Watson have created together. "It just makes me sad when I think about my kids. I don't ever want them to feel the pain or the scrutiny. That's not necessary, and it's not theirs to carry. So I'll carry it. That's fine," she vowed to Variety in July 2023.