Socialite, model and actress Paris Hilton, who was recently voted the most likely to undergo a divorce, decided to play it safe and called off her five-month engagement with namesake beau shipping scion Paris Latsis.
“I'm sad to announce that I've called off my engagement. Over the last couple months I've realized that this is the right decision for me. We remain best of friends, and I'll always love him. I hope people will respect my privacy during this emotional time,” the 24-year-old socialite said in a statement released by her spokesman Elliot Mintz. Hilton said 'she was not ready for marriage' as the reason for her decision.
“I feel I'm just not ready for marriage. I have seen the breakups between people who love each other and rush into getting married too quickly. And I do not want to make that mistake,” she added. Hilton was engaged to 26-year-old Latsis this May after he gave her a US$ 5 million 24-carat diamond ring.
However, the socialite has asserted that this does not mean her relationship with Latsis is over. “I'm still young and still have a very active career that I'm not prepared to give up. I have worked very hard to get to where I am. Paris is a great guy and we will handle this with dignity and respect,” she said, adding that she still loves Latsis.
After the engagement Hilton had claimed that she planned to give up her social life to set up a home with Latsis and have his children. “I feel like we were meant to be, and I'm happy to have found someone to spend the rest of my life with. I want to have kids in the next two years, because I know that completes your life,” she had said immediately after the engagement. The two were also looking for a location in Greece to exchange vows.
However, things seemed amiss when Hilton was seen without her engagement ring after returning from Greece.
Meanwhile, speculations are rife that the breakup was a result of the Hiltons disapproving of her
union with Latsis. In fact, Hilton's mother Kathy was overheard saying, “I'm not thrilled with this Latsis kid because of his values. He lives in a US$ 12 million house in Beverly Hills and has no job.” Hilton's father Rick had added, “He's nice, but nobody except a rich kid.”
Latsis parents weren't too thrilled with their relationship either. His father Grigoris Kasidokostas had said, “Both his mother and I agree that our son is far too young to contemplate marriage and children. Our son agreed with us. There was an unanimity on this issue.”
