Who Is Hugh Hefner's Wife? All About Crystal Hefner

Mar. 15, 2025

Hugh Hefner and his wife Crystal Hefner attend Playboy Mansion’s Annual Halloween Bash at The Playboy Mansion on October 25, 2014.Photo:Charley Gallay/Getty

Charley Gallay/Getty

Crystal Hefner has spoken openly about her relationship with the lateHugh Hefnerand her time at the Playboy Mansion.

The former model first met Hugh at a Halloween party in 2008, and the pair got married four years later on New Year’s Eve in 2012. Crystal and Hugh were married for almost five years, until thePlayboyfounderdied in September 2017.

On the third anniversary of Hugh’s death in 2020, Crystal posted on Instagram tohonor her late husband. “Three years. It’s hard to believe,” she wrote in the caption. “Thank you for always being my greatest ally, teaching me the definition of kindness, and making me feel extremely important and adored for ten years. I will be forever grateful.”

In the years since Hugh’s passing, Crystal has focused on healing and creating a fresh start for herself. She released her memoir,Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself, in January 2024, which delves into her childhood and life at the Playboy Mansion.

“It’s calledOnly Say Good Thingsbecause I [had] a conversation with Hef and he let me know: ‘Once I go, when I’m gone, please only say good things about me,' ” Crystal told theNew York Postin July 2023. “I kept that promise for the last five years … I’m realizing that it’s OK to … speak up and not be OK with some things that I’ve been through."

Speaking to PEOPLE, Crystal revealed that she wasnever “in love” with Hughand said, “I realized I was dealing with a really big power imbalance. It seemed like a world of success and fantasy, but everyone’s having to sleep with an 80-year-old. There’s a price. Everything has a price.”

So, who is the late Hugh Hefner’s wife? Here’s everything to know about Crystal Hefner and her relationship with thePlayboypublisher.

She grew up in the U.S. and the U.K.

Crystal Hefner and her mom Lee Lovitt.Crystal Hefner Instagram

Crystal Hefner Instagram

Crystal was born in Lake Havasu, Arizona, to British parents Lee Lovitt and Ray Harris. During an appearance on theTick Boot Camppodcastin December 2021, the former model opened up about her childhood in the United States and the United Kingdom.

After spending her early childhood years in the U.K., Crystal and her family eventually settled in San Diego, California. Crystal studied psychology at San Diego University and worked part-time as a model, per theNew York Post.

She met Hugh in 2008

When she was 21, Crystal submitted a photo to attend a Halloween bash at the Playboy Mansion, where she said she and Hugh bonded over their interest in psychology. Soon after, she was asked to move into the mansion and debuted inPlayboya year later as the magazine’s December 2009 Playmate.

Reflecting on their first meeting, Crystal told PEOPLE in 2024 that it wasn’t as romantic as it seemed. “I thought, wow, if I just like everything that he likes and do all the things that he wants me to do, then I’m the favorite. And I was, but I just lost myself in the process,” she said.

She and Hugh got engaged in 2010

Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris celebrate Hefner’s 85th birthday at the Palms Casino Resort April 9, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada.Ethan Miller/WireImage

Ethan Miller/WireImage

After two years of dating, Hugh and Crystal got engaged during the holidays in 2010. ThePlayboyfounder announced the news on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“After the movie tonight, Crystal & I exchanged gifts. I gave Crystal a ring. A truly memorable Christmas Eve,” he wrote. “When I gave Crystal the ring, she burst into tears. This is the happiest Christmas weekend in memory.”

However, a few days before the couple were set to tie the knot at the Playboy Mansion in June 2011, they decided to call off the wedding.

“After much deep reflection and thought I have decided to end my engagement with Hef,” Crystal wrote on her website. “I have the utmost respect for Hef and wish him the best going forward. I hope the media will give each of us the privacy we deserve during this time.” In 2024, Crystal revealed that after calling off the engagement, she had a brief relationship withDr. Phil’s sonJordan McGraw.

She married Hugh in 2012

Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris attend the Beverly Hills City Council and Playboy Enterprises, Inc.’s celebration of the return of Playboy headquarters to Beverly Hills on August 7, 2012.David Livingston/Getty

David Livingston/Getty

Less than a year after their reconciliation, Crystal and Hugh wed at the Playboy Mansion on New Year’s Eve in 2012. The media mogul confirmed their marriage with a message on X. “Crystal & I married on New Year’s Eve in the Mansion with Keith as my Best Man. Love that girl!” he wrote.

Crystal also shared her excitement on the morning of their wedding. “Today is the day I become Mrs. Hugh Hefner. Feeling very happy, lucky, and blessed,” she wrote on X.

For their nuptials, Crystal donned a floor-length strapless gown in soft pink, while Hugh opted for a black tuxedo. They celebrated their union with a private reception, which included a champagne toast and wedding cake, before attending the annual New Year’s Eve bash at the mansion.

The pair remained married until Hugh died from natural causes at 91 years old in September 2017.

She’s an entrepreneur

Crystal retired from the modeling industry in January 2018, according to herLinkedIn. She has since started working as a real estate agent.

Speaking with theLos Angeles Timesin November 2018, Crystal shared that her mother worked in the same industry for many years, which inspired her to get her license at 18.

“My mom’s a real go-getter, which has helped her a lot in real estate,” Crystal told the outlet. “My strength is developing properties of my own.”

Crystal has also been the president of the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation since October 2022, per her LinkedIn. In addition to her work in philanthropy and real estate, Crystal launched a podcast calledBeneath the Surfacein November 2023, which explores topics of health, love and self-worth.

She loves to travel

Crystal Hefner in Egypt.Crystal Hefner Instagram

When she’s not at home in Los Angeles or staying at herfarm in Hawaii, Crystal loves to travel the world. The entrepreneur told theNew York Postin July 2023 that she wasn’t allowed to go far while living in the Playboy Mansion but has since visited places like Africa and Australia.

In 2023 and 2024, Crystal traveled toEngland,GreeceandSt. Martin— she spent New Year’s Eve 2023 in St. Barths, where shewatched fireworksfrom a boat. Some of the other places the former model has visited includeEgypt,the MaldivesandDubai.

“I feel like I’m either a total homebody and go nowhere when I’m home in Los Angeles, or leave the states and have tons of adventures around the 🌍,” Crystal wrote onInstagramafter traveling to Egypt in 2021. “I could travel forever. ‘Homesick’ doesn’t apply to me. My wanderlust is too strong."

She was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2016

Crystal Hefner.Crystal Hefner Instagram

Crystal was diagnosed with Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness, in March 2016. She shared the news on Instagram,urging her followersto be aware of potential symptoms, including fatigue and brain fog.

“If you have EVER GONE HIKING, please get tested for #LymeDisease … I was diagnosed a few days ago and have a long road ahead of me,” she wrote in the caption. “I always thought I was a hypochondriac. Doctors told me it was just ‘stress’ or ‘all in my head’ but I finally figured it out and you can too.”

Since her diagnosis, the former model has continued to raise awareness about Lyme disease. “I don’t post too often about Lyme Disease here but I’m really happy and proud to have participated in my second ever Lyme disease event yesterday,” she wrote onInstagramin March 2020.

“My years at the Playboy Mansion weren’t true to myself and we’re pretty toxic physically and emotionally," Crystal added. “Lyme Disease has really put things into perspective for me. I’m now only focusing on things that are good for me mentally, physically, and spiritually.”

She is very open on social media

Crystal has also shared openly about her mental health journey and experience with cosmetic procedures on social media.

Shortly after she was diagnosed with Lyme disease in March 2016, the former model revealed on Facebook that she had herbreast implants removedbecause they were “slowly poisoning her.”

“Instantly I noticed my neck and shoulder pain was gone and I could breathe much better,” she said in the July 2016 post. “I know I won’t feel 100% overnight. My implants took 8 years to make me this sick, so I know it will take time to feel better."

Crystal has also been candid about her quest tolead a more authentic life, which has included being honest about her mental health struggles. After receiving a brain scan in February 2022, the former model posted photos of her results onInstagramand opened up about her experience.

“I highly recommend if you are having a hard time mentally to really dig deep and find out what’s going on because there are so many ways to help yourself get better and feel better,” she wrote in the caption. “I’ve felt really trapped in my mind for so long that it’s nice to know there are ways to heal. It also helps to be validated that my past traumas are real and have affected my brain."

She wrote a memoir about her life with Hugh

Crystal Hefner and Hugh Hefner at the Playmate of the Year Luncheon honoring Raquel Pomplun on May 9, 2013.Kevan Brooks/Admedia/Sipa/Shutterstock

Kevan Brooks/Admedia/Sipa/Shutterstock

In February 2022, the former playmate announced that she was working on a memoir. Crystal revealed in anInstagram postthat despite being “more private over the years,” she was ready to “share the journey.”

“I’ve been on the fence about telling my story because it’s complicated and conflicting in ways,” she wrote in the caption. “I will tell you about my life and how my upbringing and years leading up to the Halloween party where I met Hef was the perfect storm that whisked me through those gates.”

Crystal’s memoir,Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself, hit bookshelves on Jan. 23, 2024. She exclusivelyrevealed the cover of her bookto PEOPLE in October 2023 and opened up about the story she wanted to tell.

Crystal’s book dropped many bombshells about life at the Playboy Mansion, including that sex with Hugh was “odd and robotic” from the very beginning.

“There wasnothing sexy about it,” she wrote, adding that she was “relieved” when sex with her husband stopped altogether in 2014.

She is dating James Ward

James Ward and Crystal Hefner.courtesy of Crystal Hefner

courtesy of Crystal Hefner

Crystal has beendating James Ward— founder of Hawaii’s SeeThroughSea and Epic Tours — since April 2024.

“With James, my feelings are valued, validated,” she told PEOPLE. “I am seen and I am heard. I feel accepted and more myself than ever before.”

source: people.com