Crystal Hefner has officially left the Playboy mansion behind.
The 39-year-old—who was married to Hugh Hefner from 2012 until his death in 2017—got engaged to her boyfriend of one year James Ward, 41, on April 25 at her Hawaii home, the couple confirmed to Us Weekly.
And the marine biologist’s proposal was completely unexpected for Crystal, who met James through mutual friends in 2024.
“It truly feels like a full-circle moment. James completely surprised me,” she told Us Weekly in an interview published May 2. “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.”
The couple noted they plan to “enjoy being engaged for awhile,” 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.”
