Overview

• On July 17, Crystal Hefner filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court to change her name from Crystal Margaret Hefner to Crystal Margaret Harris.
• Under California law, her petition initiates a public notice period and requires a formal court hearing before the name change can be finalized.
• In court documents, she described herself as a widow reclaiming her maiden name to affirm her independent identity.
• The legal move follows her January 2024 memoir in which she detailed struggles with addiction, emotional abuse and life at the Playboy Mansion.
• Crystal became engaged to marine biologist James Ward in May 2025 and is planning a seaside wedding in spring 2026.