The insane life of 26-year-old Cooper Hefner, son of the late Playboy millionaire
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Playboy legend Hugh Hefner died of natural causes aged 91 on Wednesday night, leaving behind a legacy — and it's one that his youngest son Cooper plans to bring into the future.
At only 26 years old, Cooper Hefner is Chief Creative Officer at Playboy Enterprises, founder and former CEO of upstart media company HOP, and a member of the California State Military Reserve.
He has also led a pretty wild life growing up in the Playboy Mansion — and his 71,000 followers on Instagram get an inside look.
Now, it seems pretty likely he'll inherit at least some of his father's £40 million net worth.
From flying the Playboy jet around the world to getting engaged to Harry Potter actress Scarlett Byrne, scroll down to see the life of Conor Hefner, the new Prince of Playboy.
This is 26-year-old Cooper Hefner, Chief Creative Officer at Playboy Enterprises and the youngest of the late Hugh Hefner's four children.
His father, Playboy legend Hugh Hefner, died at the age of 91 on Wednesday — but Cooper has plans to bring the company into the future.
Cooper Hefner was born on September 4, 1991. His mother is former "Playmate of the Year" Kimberly Conrad, who officially divorced from Hugh Hefner in 2010 — the same year he announced his engagement to Crystal Harris, who he stayed with until death.
Cooper has an older brother, Marston, who was born in 1990. Both grew up in the Playboy Mansion.
My brother and I when I was brought back from the hospital #throwbackthursday
A post shared by Cooper Hefner (@cooperbhefner) on
He told the New York Post: "When my parents were together it was very tame. The parties turned into black-tie events, I believe at my mom’s request."
After they separated in 1998 — though they did not formally divorce until 2010 — Hugh built a home for Kimberley next door, and Cooper and Marston lived between the two houses.
"When Dad was having more 'eventful' parties in the summer and on Halloween, security would go on baby-sitting watch to make sure my brother and I were kept in the house," he said.
Cooper also has a half-sister in 64-year-old former playboy CEO Christie Hefner, as well as a half-brother in 62-year-old David Hefner, both of whom were children from Hugh's first marriage to Millie Williams.
He originally joined the Playboy company at the age of 21, though he left for a short amount of time in 2016.
He told Entertainment Tonight: "I wanted to participate in constructing a relevant brand strategy, one that Playboy could introduce to my generation. It became clear... that would never be possible under Playboy’s leadership, so I protested."
During his absence, the magazine decided to stop publishing nude photos — and its number of subscribers dropped.
When Hugh stepped down from the business, Cooper stepped up, becoming Chief Creative Officer in July 2016. One of his first priorities was to reinstate nudity so that "what his Dad built was authentic."
He's also the founder and former CEO of HOP (Hefner Operations & Productions), an upstart media company.
Oh, and he's in the California State Military Reserve.
I love my state, I love my country, and I love my ice coffee #lunchbreak #offbaserefuel
A post shared by Cooper Hefner (@cooperbhefner) on
Cooper has had a pretty crazy life so far.
While he works hard, life in the office seems pretty great.
Here's the menu for a morning meeting at the Mansion.
Here, he plays poker with some bunnies at Playboy HQ.
Game night at our offices in Beverly Hills #PlayboyHQ
A post shared by Cooper Hefner (@cooperbhefner) on
He seems pretty fun-loving. He's a big Lakers fan — and always seems to be at a game.
Then there are the cars. He drives some pretty nice ones. Here he is on a "road trip to Vegas"...
...And posing with a Porsche, which he appears to be pretty partial to.
It's hard not to enjoy this car @porsche #cayman2014 #playboy
A post shared by Cooper Hefner (@cooperbhefner) on
He often flies in the Playboy jet.
"Flying in a suit is a must for work," he has said.
His life takes him all over the world. Here he is in Shanghai.
No matter where he is, the bunny symbol seems to follow.
A toast to the coffee drinkers of the world. Happy Monday
A post shared by Cooper Hefner (@cooperbhefner) on
Then there are the celebrities. Here he is with Paris Hilton...
...Russell Brand...
...Pamela Anderson...
Having a laugh with Pam in Germany #throwbackthursday
A post shared by Cooper Hefner (@cooperbhefner) on
...and Kate Moss.
Having a laugh with Pam in Germany #throwbackthursday
A post shared by Cooper Hefner (@cooperbhefner) on
His fiancée Scarlett Byrne is pretty famous, too. Byrne played Pansy Parkinson in the Harry Potter movies. Understandably, the couple are fans of the series. Here they are in London to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
The show is absolutely amazing. Part 1 of the Cursed Child complete #HarryPotter #London
A post shared by Cooper Hefner (@cooperbhefner) on
The pair got engaged in 2015, and Byrne posted for Playboy's March/April 2017 issue. He told The New York Post: "You’re talking to somebody whose mom has been in the magazine. My interpretation of being comfortable with sex is different than most people’s. I really don’t think sex is weird until people make it weird."
It's this attitude he'll bring forward into the future of Playboy. "Most great films have a sequel," he said in an Instagram post. "The same can be said with great brands."
In a company statement on Wednesday, he said: "My father lived an exceptional and impactful life as a media and cultural pioneer and a leading voice behind some of the most significant social and cultural movements of our time in advocating free speech, civil rights and sexual freedom.
"He defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the Playboy brand, one of the most recognizable and enduring in history. He will be greatly missed by many, including his wife Crystal, my sister Christie and my brothers David and Marston and all of us at Playboy Enterprises."
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Read the original article on Business Insider UK. © 2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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