Crystal Hefner Is Engaged to James Ward Following One Year of Dating | E! News
Crystal Hefner has officially left the Playboy mansion behind. Crystal, who was married to Hugh Hefner from 2012 until his death in 2017, got engaged to her boyfriend of one-year, James Ward, on April 25th at her Hawaii home for US Weekly. They reported that James, a marine biologist who she met through mutual friends, proposed with a six pair vintage ring on the seaside deck he built for her. And while it took strategic planning for him, the proposal was a complete surprise for Crystal as they had just returned from a trip to Africa to celebrate their one-year anniversary. She told US Weekly, “It truly feels like a full circle moment.” James completely surprised me. He had a hidden staircase and a winding trail cleared to reveal a handcrafted deck perched above a dramatic cliffside overlooking the ocean. She continued, “It was the exact spot where we’d had a quiet picnic together a year ago, a place that became ours. I had no idea he was secretly turning it into something permanent and symbolic. I thought we were just going for a walk, but when I saw the flowers, the handwritten notes, and the sea stretching endlessly in front of us, I knew something extraordinary was about to happen. James led Crystal to their proposal spot with a path of handwritten notes, which at first she thought was a birthday surprise, as it happened just 4 days before her 39th birthday. She shared, “I was overwhelmed. It was one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me.” The couple noted they plan to enjoy being engaged for a while, but are looking to tie the knot in 2026. And according to Crystal, they want to have an intimate ceremony that is full of love, meaning, and connection. For the former model, this marks a major difference from her quote very traumatic prior marriage to Hugh, who she was with when he passed at 91. Several years later, she revealed she was never truly in love with him. He admitted to E! news as Franchesca Emmericker in 2024. It’s hard to be in love with someone who wants multiple people in the bedroom and really only cares about themselves and their own needs and wants. However, she also shared that 7 years later, she had finally had time to move on. She noted, “I’m in a much better place. I feel that I will always be a work in progress, but I feel that I finally have true freedom. [Music]
Former Playboy model Crystal Hefner, who was married to Hugh Hefner from 2012 until his death in 2017, got engaged in Hawaii to marine biologist James Ward on April 25 following a year of dating.
Full Story: https://www.eonline.com/news/1398764/playboy-alum-holly-madison-accuses-crystal-hefner-of-copying-her-book?query=Crystal%20Hefner
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