'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Seven years after Playboy founder Hugh Hefner's death at age 91, his widow, Crystal Hefner, 39, got engaged to James Ward following a year of relationship. According to a May 2 New York Post, James Ward, a marine scientist, proposed with a six-carat diamond ring on Friday, April 25, following a month-long celebration of their first anniversary in Africa.
In a Friday, May 2, interview with Us Weekly, Hefner showed her ring and confirmed the engagement. Opening up about the proposal, Hefner said to the outlet:
“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..”
Trending
Crystal Hefner disclosed the unique significance of the proposal site and further said:
“It was the exact spot where we’d had a quiet picnic together a year ago... I thought we were just going for a walk, but when I saw the flowers, the handwritten notes.. I knew something extraordinary was about to happen.”
Crystal Hefner’s finance is a marine biologist and works with whales
As per Page Six’s May 2 report, Crystal Hefner's fiance, James Ward is a marine biologist and the proprietor of the eco-tour firm SeeThroughSea. The Hawaii-based company plans deep-sea adventures, including personalised six-passenger ocean experiences, and animal safaris.
Ward is passionate about whale watching and often shares his experiences of seeing whales in the wild. He also photographs other sea creatures like sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, and exotic fish.
In addition to documenting their adventures, James Ward and Crystal Hefner have taken other romantic journeys around the world.
He and the model took a trip to the Cook Islands, a country in the South Pacific, in September 2024. In June 2024, Ward and Crystal had visited a few small Mexican settlements.
According to the same source, in July 2024, Ward made his first public post regarding his relationship with Crystal. The diver posted a video from their numerous global escapades, describing the past three months as "nothing short of spectacular.” Now, Ward and Hefner are engaged.
The US Weekly further reported that he proposed to the model on the deck he had constructed for her at her Hawaii home. Hefner got engaged a few days before his 39th birthday on April 29. She described her romantic "surprise" proposal as a "full-circle moment" and shared all the details.
Crystal Hefner also told Us Weekly:
“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 admitted that she was shocked to learn that Ward had arranged the occasion with the assistance of a local team before she even said "yes."
“As we started down the path, I was puzzled to see a brand-new staircase, and then I began to notice the notes.. I was already tearing up when I reached the final card, which was waiting for me on the deck, overlooking the waves.”
Crystal Hefner added:
“At first, I thought it was an early birthday surprise. But the words in the notes gently hinted at something more. And when I realized he had built an entire deck 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.”
Meanwhile, no wedding date has been officially announced as of yet.
