Lana del Rey kept her true identity a secret when she first met her new husband, Jeremy Dufrene, an alligator tour guide on an airboat. According to insiders, those around her were initially convinced he was “using” her.
Lana, 39, caused a stir among fans earlier this month when she was spotted with Jeremy, 49, in London after their Leeds Festival concert, and she later confirmed their romance at Karen Elson’s wedding in New York City over the weekend.
Now, insiders have lifted the lid on their budding romance, claiming that Lana didn’t immediately reveal who she is because she found it “refreshing” that the Louisiana alligator lover “had no idea” when they first met during one of his tours in 2019.
“They’ve known each other for years but only started dating a few months ago,” an insider told DailyMail.com. “Lana first met Justin in 2019 and they’ve stayed in touch.
‘He had no idea who she was at the time, which she found refreshing, and she didn’t explain it right away.
Lana Del Rey made her romance with her alligator guide boyfriend Jeremy Dufrene official when they attended Karen Elson’s star-studded wedding on Saturday
Jeremy and Lana have known each other since 2019, when she booked an alligator boat tour and shared a photo. A source told DailyMail.com that he had “no idea” who she was
‘She wanted to take a boat trip because it’s very popular in Louisiana, but she never expected that she would ever fall in love with the captain of an alligator boat.’
The couple first met when Lana performed at the Buku Music + Art Project in Louisiana in March 2019. She met Jeremy that week and shared a photo of him kissing an alligator.
Lana and Jeremy, co-owner of Airboat Tours by Arthur in Des Allemands, Louisiana, were in a relationship at the time.
The source said: ‘When Lana returned to the area in May to perform at Hangout Fest, they were both single and got back together.
“He saw his golden opportunity and asked her out and they’ve been together ever since. She likes older men.”
Her relationship with Jeremy initially worried her friends, who were convinced they would discover something suspicious about the divorced father of three.
But they soon discovered that he treats her well and gives her what she ‘needs’ from a partner.
“Her friends and team investigated him because they were afraid he would use her, but his business is lucrative and he doesn’t need or want Lana’s money,” the source said.
Lana shared a photo of Jeremy kissing an alligator on Instagram in 2019. At the time, Lana and Jeremy were both in relationships with other people
Lana’s friends (pictured with Lana and Jeremy on an airboat ride in 2019) investigated and found nothing but positive things about the “romantic” captain sailing the swamp
“They see that he treats her well and he’s very, very low maintenance. He gives her what she wants in a man and is romantic.”
Lana announced her engagement to Jeremy on August 25, when the two were spotted holding hands and enjoying a romantic dinner together in London after she performed at Leeds Festival.
The source added: ‘She took him to her most recent series of shows in the UK, which was a big step. He’s a good guy and she’s really attracted to him. He’s a good father and no one who knows him has anything bad to say about him.’
During Lana’s first alligator boat ride in 2019, she shared photos with her fans on Instagram and Facebook.
In the caption, the Born to Die singer wrote: ‘Jeremy let me be the captain at Arthur’s Air Boat Tours x.’
In one of the photos, she is seen sitting next to Jeremy, with her tongue sticking out, as he helps her steer the airboat.
He also appeared in the background of a photo of Lana posing with her friends during the tour.
She promoted Jeremy’s workplace extensively in the post, sharing a photo of the handmade Arthur’s Air Boat Tours sign and the business’s phone number.
Jeremy also posted a photo with Lana on his own Instagram, writing, “I never know who I’ll meet on my tours but it’s always a pleasure @lanadelrey.”
He seemed completely smitten with the beautiful brunette in the photo as they posed with their arms around each other in the swampy water.
But the couple didn’t go on a date right away. After their first meeting, Lana started dating 52-year-old Live PD hunk Sean Larkin.
She then began dating Clayton Johnson, to whom she became engaged but later broke up.
“Lana’s friends see that he treats her well and he’s very, very low maintenance. He gives her what she wants in a man and is romantic,” a source said.
Jeremy is a father of two and works as a tour guide for Arthur’s Air Boat Tours, a small business in the unincorporated community of Des Allemands, Louisiana
She was then rumored to have had affairs with Salem rocker Jack Donoghue and, most recently, musician Evan Winiker.
When she returned in May, it seemed she had her sights set on the swamp expert, enlisting the help of her friends to join her on one of Jeremy’s famous airboat excursions.
She documented the swamp adventure on her Instagram, even tagging her alleged boyfriend in a post she published on May 16.
“Family with my friend @jeremy.dufrene,” Lana wrote in the caption.
Fans speculate that Lana indicated in her song Cola that she wanted a relationship like the one she had with Jeremy over a decade ago. They believe the singer has made her type clear all along.