Lana del Rey kept her true identity a secret when she first met her new man, alligator airboat tour guide Jeremy Dufrene, according to insiders, who claim her close circle were initially convinced he was ‘using’ her.
Lana, 39, sent fans into a frenzy earlier this month when she was spotted with Jeremy, 49, in London following her concert at Leeds Festival, before appearing to confirm their romance at Karen Elson’s New York City wedding this weekend.
Now, insiders have lifted the lid on their budding romance, claiming Lana didn’t immediately divulge who she was as she found it ‘refreshing’ that the Louisiana-based alligator enthusiast had ‘no idea’ when they first met on one of his tours back 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 kept in touch.
‘He had no idea who she was at the time which was refreshing to her and she didn’t explain immediately.
Lana Del Rey made her romance with alligator tour guide boyfriend Jeremy Dufrene official, as they attended Karen Elson’s star-studded wedding on Saturday
Jeremy and Lana have known each other since 2019 when she booked a gator boat tour and shared a picture. A source told DailyMail.com that he had ‘no idea’ who she was
‘She wanted to go on a boat tour because it’s a big thing in Louisiana, but she never expected to fall for a gator boat captain.’
The couple first met when Lana performed at the Buku Music + Art Project in Louisiana in March 2019. She met Jeremy during that week and shared a photo of him kissing an alligator.
At the time both Lana and Jeremy – who is part owner of Airboat Tours by Arthur in Des Allemands, Louisiana – were both in relationships.
The source said: ‘When Lana revisited the area in May to perform at Hangout Fest, they were both single and they reconnected.
‘He saw his golden opportunity and asked her out and they have been together since. She loves older men.’
Her relationship with Jeremy initially worried friends who were convinced they would dig up something suspect about the divorced father of three.
But they soon realized he treats her well and gives her what she ‘needs’ from a partner.
‘Her friends and team did some digging on him over fears he could be using her, but his business is lucrative and he doesn’t need or want Lana’s money,’ the source said.
Lana shared a photo on Instagram in 2019 of Jeremy kissing an alligator. At the time, both Lana and Jeremy were in relationships with other people
Lana’s friends (pictured with Lana and Jeremy on and airboat ride in 2019) did some digging only to find good things about the ‘romantic’ swamp-skimming captain
‘They can see he treats her right and he’s very, very low maintenance. He gives her what she is seeking in a man and is romantic.’
Lana went public with Jeremy on August 25, when the pair were spotted holding hands and having a romantic meal together in London after she performed at Leeds Festival.
The source added: ‘She brought him to her most recent string of shows in the UK which was a big step. He is a good guy and she is wildly attracted to him. He is a good father and no one who knows him has anything bad to say about him.’
During Lana’s initial alligator boat tour in 2019, she shared photos with her fans on Instagram and Facebook.
In the caption, the Born to Die singer wrote: ‘Jeremy lemme be captain at Arthur’s Air Boat Tours x.’
One of the snaps showed her sitting beside Jeremy with her tongue out as he helped her steer the air boat.
He also appeared in the background of a photo of Lana posing up with her girlfriends during the tour.
She heavily promoted Jeremy’s place of work in the post by sharing a photo of the handmade Arthur’s Air Boat Tours sign and the company phone number.
Jeremy also posted a photo with Lana to his own Instagram, writing: ‘I never know who I can run across on my tours but always a pleasure @lanadelrey.’
He looked absolutely smitten beside the brunette beauty in the photo as they posed with their arms wrapped around one another by the swampy water.
But the pair didn’t date immediately, with Lana going on to date Live PD hunk Sean Larkin, 52, following their first meeting.
She then started dating Clayton Johnson, who she got engaged to but later called off.
‘Lana’s friends can see he treats her right and he’s very, very low maintenance. He gives her what she is seeking in a man and is romantic,’ a source said
Jeremy is a father-of-two who works as a tour guide at Arthur’s Air Boat Tours, a small business located in the unincorporated community of Des Allemands, Louisiana
She then had rumored flings with Salem rocker Jack Donoghue and, most recently, musician Evan Winiker.
She appeared to have her sights set on the swamp expert when she returned in May, as she enlisted the help of her friends to join her on one of Jeremy’s famous airboat excursions.
She documented the swamp adventure on her Instagram and even tagged her rumored boyfriend in a post published on May 16.
‘Family w my guy @jeremy.dufrene,’ Lana wrote in the caption.
Fans are speculating that Lana hinted that she wanted a relationship like the one she apparently has with Jeremy more than a decade ago in her song Cola and believe that the songstress has made her type clear all along.