Playboy Owner's Widow Suddenly Engaged to New Boyfriend After Years of Silence.

Model Crystal Hefner was proposed to by her new boyfriend in Hawaii eight years after the death of Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner.

James Ward, a 41-year-old marine biologist, got down on one knee and proposed to Crystal Hefner, 39, with a 6-carat diamond ring on the beach on April 25. "This moment was really perfect. James completely surprised me," the former Playboy model shared with Us Weekly on May 2.

Crystal Hefner and James Ward during their engagement.

Crystal said her boyfriend secretly built a wooden deck overlooking the ocean outside her house in Hawaii to propose. He then asked someone to spread flowers and handwritten love letters on the trail that led her there. The beauty shed tears when reading the last card. "And when I realized he built this place just to create a space for this moment, I was overwhelmed. It was one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me," Crystal shared.

The proposal occurred just days before Crystal's birthday and after their first anniversary trip to Africa. Her boyfriend quietly asked locals to prepare while he was still on vacation with Crystal. She was moved to say yes immediately when James asked her to marry him.

Crystal was surprised when her boyfriend proposed.

Crystal said she and her fiancé plan to enjoy their engagement for about a year before getting married in 2026. The wedding will be outdoor, intimate, and full of love, meaning, and connection. Crystal said her previous wedding (to Hugh Hefner) was more of a public spectacle than a ceremony for her.

Crystal and Hugh Hefner. Photo: Wire

The 8X beauty was married to Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner from 2012 until he died in 2017 at the age of 91. Their 60-year age gap marriage attracted attention for many years. After her husband died, Crystal moved to Hawaii. She met her future husband on this tropical island in April 2024 through a friend's introduction.