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Ashley Biden, the 44-year-old daughter of former President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, has filed for divorce from her husband of 13 years, Dr. Howard Krein, according to a new report from The Philadelphia Inquirer. The filing took place Monday in Philadelphia, marking the end of a long marriage that began in 2012.
Krein, 59, is a prominent otolaryngologist and plastic surgeon at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. The couple tied the knot at the same Greenville, Delaware, church where Ashley was baptized, a nod to family history and tradition. They first met in 2010 through Ashley's late brother, Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer in 2015.
© Getty ImagesThe former couple built a life together in Philadelphia, living in a $1.3 million home. But this week's divorce filing suggests that the chapter has officially closed.
A Symbolic Thumbs-Up and Beyoncé's "Freedom"
Ashley generally keeps a low public profile and acknowledged the personal milestone with some Instagram flair. She posted a short video to her Story, showing her walking through a park, giving the camera a thumbs-up as Beyoncé's "Freedom" played in the background.
© GC ImagesIn a separate post, she shared the following quote: "New life means new boundaries. New ways of being that won't look or sound like they did before." The message was paired with Lauryn Hill's "Freedom Time," underlining the sense of renewal.
From Lakeside Weddings to White House Moments
Ashley and Krein's wedding reception was held at the Biden family's lakeside estate in Wilmington. She fondly recalled the day during her speech introducing her father at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
© AFP via Getty Images"At the time, my dad was vice president, but he was also that dad who literally set up the entire reception," she said. "He was riding around in his John Deere 4-wheeler, fixing the place settings, arranging the plants — and by the way, he was very emotional."
Ashley is the only biological daughter of Jill Biden, who married Joe Biden after the tragic loss of his first wife, Neilia, and their daughter, Naomi. She and Krein were still publicly united as recently as June 2024, when they were seen together in the Oval Office during Biden's televised address announcing he would not seek re-election.
Fierce Loyalty to Her Father
While Ashley has often stayed out of the political spotlight, she stepped forward earlier this year to defend her father amid swirling questions about his health and cognitive ability. In June, she posted a beachside photo with her parents, declaring herself "too grateful to be angry about all this bullsh1t" — a direct response to media speculation and reporting from CNN anchor Jake Tapper's book, "Original Sin."
© AFP via Getty ImagesWithout naming Tapper, she mocked the idea of a cover-up: "The ONLY coverup of this family is a BEACH coverup !!!" She praised her father's decades of service, pushing back hard against claims of decline.
"He aged, YES! As we all do! And the stress of the presidency accelerates. But he was always MORE than capable of doing the job. And a damn good one." Her post called the criticism "noise" and "static" designed to profit from "some real BS," while thanking supporters for standing by her family.
A New Chapter Ahead
With her marriage to Krein ending, Ashley Biden appears ready to embrace change on her terms. Her recent social media choices, music about liberation, and quotes about boundaries suggest she's framing this moment as a pivot toward independence rather than just a closing door.
© Getty ImagesGiven her professional background in social work and criminal justice reform, she will likely continue to focus her energy on causes that matter to her.
