Hugh Hefner’s widow Crystal Harris, 39, remarries nine years after Playboy founder’s death

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Oh my gosh, you guys, Crystal – Crystal – is married! It feels so weird to even say it, since she was with Hugh for so long, and he was everything to me, obviously. But she’s moved on, and it’s been almost nine years since we lost him… nine years since Hugh passed away at 91. It’s just… a lot. But I’m happy for her, I guess. Still, it’s hard to believe it’s not him!

Former model and actress, 39, tied the knot with 42-year-old James Ward, a businessman from Hawaii, in a small, private ceremony on the island of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands.

Crystal Harris, who was married to Hugh Hefner from 2012 until he passed away in 2017, explained to People magazine that they picked the Cook Islands for their wedding because of how secluded the location is.

This place doesn’t have any large hotel chains, giving it a wonderfully peaceful and genuine feel. Plus, it boasts one of the world’s most stunning lagoons.

We both adore the ocean and being outdoors, so it felt like the ideal spot to begin this new phase of our lives,” she explained.

It comes nearly one year after the couple announced their engagement.

Harris and Ward hired wedding planner Sandi Brown to help them create a wedding ceremony that was simple, elegant, and reflected the ocean’s beauty.

The intimate size of the wedding let us concentrate on what truly mattered, instead of getting bogged down in the logistics of a big celebration, explained the former Playboy model.

We weren’t looking for anything elaborate. We wanted a small, intimate celebration where we could truly focus on each other and enjoy the moment.

The bride immediately loved Oksana Mukha’s Margo gown and chose it for her wedding day.

She described the dress as reminiscent of a Disney princess gown – romantic, classic, and very delicate. It was covered in more than 5,400 Swarovski crystals.

The blonde beauty reminisced about her engagement on Instagram, sharing, ‘April 26th – the day after he proposed.’

We woke up to a world that felt peaceful and calm, as if preparing for something new. Everything was quiet and still, almost as if time itself had stopped.

Looking at him, I realized this wasn’t a love I could have looked for. It just appeared when I was in the right place – feeling grounded, open-minded, and full of excitement.

Harris publicly revealed her relationship with Ward in September 2024, describing it as a source of healing in her life.

After five months of dating, she told People magazine that her boyfriend is considerate of her feelings and allows her to be herself.

She said: ‘With James, my feelings are valued, validated. I am seen and I am heard. 

I’m finally embracing who I truly am – my playful side and my love for trying new things. It feels like I’m becoming the supportive and understanding person I always wished I had as a child.

‘I feel accepted and more myself than ever before,’ she detailed.

Harris famously wed Hefner when she was 26 and he was 86. 

In her 2024 memoir, Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy And Finding Myself, she revealed shocking details about her life, including admitting she never felt romantic love for the publisher and that she felt trapped during their marriage.

She had previously shared with the Daily Mail that Hugh Hefner rarely left his home due to agoraphobia and avoided public appearances. She also described the famous Playboy Mansion as being rundown and falling apart.

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2026-04-05 04:35