How much did Crystal Hefner inherit after Hugh Hefner's death? Former Playboy model's net worth explored as she gets engaged to James Ward

Crystal Hefner is engaged to her boyfriend of one year, James Ward.

In an exclusive revelation to Us Weekly, Ward proposed to Hefner, 39, earlier this month on the seaside deck he built for her at her home in Hawaii. The ring is a six-carat, vintage mine-cut diamond set on a whisper-thin band.

Curiosity about the former Playboy model's net worth and how much she inherited is now at its peak, seeing as she was married to Hugh Hefner. The pair tied the knot when Crystal Hefner was 26 years old, and he was 60 years her senior. They were married until Hefner died in 2017 at the age of 91.

According to The Sun, Crystal Hefner was never in her husband's will, and the pair had signed a prenuptial agreement. However, she received a payout of $7 million in cash in addition to inheriting a $5 million Hollywood Hills house. Celebrity Net Worth has placed her current net worth at $4 million.

Here's everything we know about Crystal Hefner and James Ward's engagement so far:

Speaking with Us Weekly about her engagement, Crystal Hefner said:

“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. 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.”

Ward reportedly asked Crystal Hefner to marry him on Friday, April 25, when they came back home from their month-long first-anniversary vacation to Africa. The proposal also came days ahead of Hefner's birthday, who turned 39 years old on Tuesday, April 29.

“As we started down the path, I was puzzled to see a brand-new staircase, and then I began to notice the notes — one after another, each one handwritten and deeply heartfelt,” she recalled to Us. “I was already tearing up when I reached the final card, which was waiting for me on the deck, overlooking the waves. 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.”

Ward also reportedly covered the pathway with heartfelt love letters to his soon-to-be wife:

“I love you when you’re silly, I love you when you love, I love the way you make me feel about myself and the space you make for both of us to nurture the child inside,” he wrote. “Let’s continue to build a life together. A home in this magical place (or wherever life takes us next.) Let’s fill all of the time we have left with memories like the ones we’ve started with already and continue to dream of an even better world.”

Crystal Hefner, on the other hand, says she “didn’t suspect a thing."

“The whole time we were [on a vacation] in Africa, I thought we were having a peaceful, unplugged adventure — but behind the scenes, he was coordinating this incredibly elaborate and meaningful proposal back home,” she told Us. “I’m still amazed he pulled it off so seamlessly. I had told him I had never really been surprised before, so I think he felt like the challenge was accepted.”

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The lovebirds plan to “enjoy being engaged for a while,” though discussions about their 2026 marriage are already underway. Crystal Hefner and James Ward plan on keeping things intimate in an outdoor ceremony “full of love, meaning and connection.”

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