HUGH Hefner built his life and career around beautiful women and boasted of bedding a thousand of them throughout his life.

But his Playboy lifestyle was sparked by the “devastating” betrayal of his first wife, who admitted to an affair days before their wedding – after he had waited TWO years to lose his virginity with her.

16 Hugh Hefner married Mildred in 1949 but he was heartbroken after she confessed to an affair Credit: Playboy

Mildred ‘Millie’ Williams was Hugh’s childhood sweetheart and Hugh was determined to “save himself” for her through his stint in the army, while she attended the University of Illinois.

But, after “two years of foreplay”, Hugh – who died yesterday at the age of 91 – was heartbroken to discover she had slept with someone else.

He said: “I had literally saved myself for my wife, but after we had sex she told me that she’d had an affair.

“That was the most devastating moment in my life. My wife was more sexually experienced than I was. After that, I always felt in a sense that the other guy was in bed with us, too.”

Despite the revelation, the pair tied the knot in 1949, and had two children – daughter Christie Hefner, born in 1952, and son David, born three years later.

But the betrayal cast a shadow over the marriage and, wracked with guilt, Millie gave her husband permission to sleep with other women during their marriage.

16 Hugh went into the US Army before wedding Millie but she cheated on him while he was away Credit: Playboy

16 Barbi Benton was among Hugh's many lovers after his split from Millie Credit: PA:Press Association

Millie was also instrumental in the setting up of Playboy which launched in 1953 with Marilyn Monroe as its first centrefold.

Hugh had wanted to call it Stag Party, but was threatened with legal action from rival mag Stag, so Millie, Hugh and pal Eldon Sellers came up with the name Playboy.

After ten years, in 1959, the marriage came to an end and the new lavish lifestyle that became synonymous with Hef began.

16 Hugh, surrounded by Playboy Bunnies, in 1964 Credit: Rex Features

16 Hugh pictured with 50 Bunnies at the opening of the Playboy Club in London Credit: Getty - Contributor

Most read in news Latest 'PERILOUS POINT' PM warns stricter rules likely to last 6 MONTHS ruining Xmas for millions COV-ER & OUT Lockdown-free Sweden 'on brink of BEATING Covid after achieving herd immunity' Exclusive PIERS PRESSURE Couple wiped out village's internet for 18 MONTHS to watch Piers on £30 TV NONE THE WEISER Inside of this house is larger than life… CAN you see yourself living here? SKIN DEEP Skin rash IS Covid symptom, experts warn - the 8 different types revealed BOGGED DOWN Shoppers fill trolleys with loo roll as stores urge Brits NOT to panic buy

16 The Playboy title revolutionised the sexual scene Credit: AP:Associated Press

He bought the original Playboy Mansion, in Chicago, reinvented himself as a man about town and surrounded himself with young beautiful models.

He also showcased his party lifestyle in the TV shows Playboy's Penthouse (1959–1960) and Playboy After Dark (1969–1970).

In 1971, Hef bought his second Playboy mansion - a 22-room Gothic-style pile in Los Angeles – for £800,000 and his parties became legendary throughout the 1970s.

16 Hugh in 1963, against a backdrop of Playboy covers Credit: Bettman

16 Kimberley Conrad was his second wife, and they wed in 1989 Credit: Rex Features

Among his lovers at the time were the Playboy models Donna Michelle, Marilyn Cole, Lillian Müller, Shannon Tweed, Barbi Benton, Karen Christy, Sondra Theodore and he claimed to have slept with “maybe eleven out of twelve months' worth of Playmates" during his single years.

Sometimes his love life came back to bite him – as it did in 1988 when Carrie Leigh, his lover of six years, filed a £4 million palimony suit against him.

Carrie, who had moved into the famous Playboy mansion when she was 19 and Hugh was 57, said: “He promised to marry me, he promised to have a child with me, promised to support me.”

16 Hugh with Carrie Leigh, who tried to sue him for palimony Credit: The Mega Agency

16 Hugh and Kimberley with Cooper and Marston in 1995 Credit: Getty - Contributor

But Hugh batted off the charge, claiming: “I’m the silliest possible target for a palimony suit, because I’m the most confirmed bachelor of the 20th century.”

But he didn’t stay single for long.

After a minor stroke in 1985, at the age of 59, Hef decided to tone down his partying and wild lifestyle and in 1989, he wed Playmate of the Year Kimberley Conrad, who was 26 years his junior.

The couple has two sons - Marston Glenn, born 1990, and Cooper Bradford, born 1991, before separating in 1998.

16 Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson arrive at the premiere of The House Bunny in Los Angeles in 2008 Credit: AP:Associated Press

While Hugh continued to live with multiple girlfriends in the now notorious Playboy Mansion, Kimberley moved into the house next door and the couple stayed married for 11 years, only divorcing when Cooper turned 18.

In 2004, the Playboy legend moved “number one girlfriend” Holly Madison into the house, along with other lovers Kendra Wilkinson and Bridget Marquardt and a year later the trio began starring in their own TV show, The Girls Next Door.

16 Hugh with The Girls Next Door Credit: Playboy

Holly split with Hugh five years later, and all three moved out, with both Holly and Kendra going on to star in their own spin off series.

Hugh moved buxom twins Kristina and Karissa in to the LA mansion, along with Crystal Harris – who was to become his third and final wife.

The Playboy mogul got engaged to Crystal – who was 60 YEARS younger – on Christmas Eve, 2010.

16 Hugh Hefner celebrates his 80th birthday with Bridget Marquardt and Holly Madison Credit: AFP

16 Karissa Shannon, Kristina Shannon, Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris in 2009 Credit: Rex Features

Six months later she dumped him, just five days before their planned wedding and after the July issue of Playboy – featuring Harris on the cover with the headline “Introducing America's Princess, Mrs. Crystal Hefner” – had hit the shelves.

16 Hugh and Crystal finally tied the knot in 2012 in the Playboy Mansion Credit: Reuters

Playboy issued a sticker reading “Runaway Bride” to cover the front page.

The pair did kiss and make-up, however, and on New Year’s Eve, 2012, they wed at the Playboy Mansion in a private ceremony – he was 86 and she was 26.

Hefner – who was survived by Crystal and his four children – is said to have left nothing in his will to his third wife.