Ashley Biden, the daughter of former President Joe Biden, has initiated divorce proceedings from her husband, Dr. Howard Krein, a plastic surgeon. The couple had been married for over 13 years, according to court documents. The 44-year-old former first daughter submitted the divorce papers to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas earlier this week.
On the same day, Biden shared a photo on her Instagram Story, showing her strolling through a park and giving a thumbs-up. The image was accompanied by Beyoncé’s song “Freedom.” She also shared a quote that hinted at her new life chapter: “New life, new beginnings means new boundaries. New ways of being that won’t look or sound like they did before.”
The reasons behind the couple’s separation remain undisclosed as divorce records are not publicly accessible in Philadelphia. Biden and Krein were married in June 2012 in Greenville, Delaware, two years after being introduced by Biden’s late older brother, Beau Biden.
Krein proposed to Biden on a cliff in Big Sur, California, in late 2011, after receiving approval from her father. At the time, Biden was serving as vice president and expressed his approval of Krein, stating, “This is the right guy. And he’s getting a helluva woman.”
The wedding ceremony took place at the St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church, where Ashley was baptized, and was attended by approximately 200 guests. Biden briefly mentioned her wedding during her introduction of her father at the Democratic National Convention last year, sharing anecdotes about her father’s involvement in the wedding preparations.
Krein, 59, is an otolaryngologist and plastic surgeon at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia. Prior to their separation, the couple resided in Philadelphia. They do not have any children. Attempts to reach Ashley Biden’s attorney for comment were unsuccessful.