In a quiet yet shocking move, Ashley Biden , daughter of former US President Joe Biden, has filed for divorce from Dr. Howard Krein after 13 years of marriage. The filing, dated August 11, 2025, appeared in Philadelphia’s Court of Common Pleas and was confirmed by multiple news outlets. While more information is yet to be out on the public forum, Ashley’s Instagram stories, featuring Beyoncé’s “Freedom” and a quote about new boundaries, hint at a chapter closing and a new one beginning.
Who is Ashley Biden?
Born in 1981, Ashley Blazer Biden is the youngest (and only biological) daughter of the former US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. But that’s not all. She is also a social worker, activist, philanthropist, and fashion designer.

Raised in Wilmington, Ashley is the half-sister to her late brother Beau Biden, Hunter, and Naomi Biden, her father's children from his first marriage. Coming from a diverse heritage, English, French, and Irish on her father's side; English, Scottish, and Sicilian on her mother's side, Ashley graduated from Wilmington Friends School, later earning a BA in cultural anthropology from Tulane University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She worked for the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families, developing programs for juvenile justice, foster care, and mental health. From 2014 to 2019, she led the Delaware Center for Justice as its executive director, focusing on criminal justice reform.
Who is Dr. Howard Krein?
A highly respected medical professional and academic, Dr. Howard Krein holds both an M.D. and a Ph.D. in cell and developmental biology and medicine, and specializes as an otolaryngologist and facial plastic/reconstructive surgeon based in Philadelphia. Born in New Jersey, Krein enjoyed an adventurous youth, competing in rodeos and volunteering as a firefighter, before embarking on a rigorous medical career and earning a reputation for compassionate care and academic expertise.
Krein serves on the faculty at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, co-directs the Facial Aesthetic and Reconstructive Center, and has been teaching since 2007. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he provided informal health guidance to Joe Biden’s campaign, though that advisory role attracted some scrutiny due to potential conflicts of interest.

Love at first sight and marriage in time
Ashley and Howard’s romance began in 2010 when he visited her brother, Beau Biden, in the hospital during his recovery from illness, where Beau set him up with Ashley. Despite her initial hesitation, the sparks flew, and about a year after they met, Krein proposed in a truly cinematic moment — at sunset on a cliff in Big Sur, California. Like a true traditional man, he also sought, and got, her father’s blessing before popping the question.
The couple tied the knot on June 2, 2012, at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church in Greenville, Delaware, the same church where Ashley had been baptized. Their wedding beautifully blended traditions, with both a Catholic priest and a Reform Jewish rabbi officiating. The ceremony included both a ketubah (Jewish marriage contract) and a chuppah (wedding canopy), alongside traditional Catholic elements.
After the ceremony, about 200 family members and friends gathered for a backyard reception at the Biden family’s lakeside home in Wilmington. Biden himself prepared the setting, laying fresh sod and helping with décor, and carefully walked Ashley down the aisle. A visibly moved Biden even comforted his daughter, saying, “This is the right guy, and he’s getting a helluva woman!”
The ‘fallout’ and the road to ‘freedom’
On August 11, Ashley filed for divorce in Philadelphia, ending her 13-year marriage to Dr. Krein. The same day, Biden’s daughter shared a series of cryptic, empowering Instagram Stories: a park walk with a thumbs-up set to Beyoncé’s “Freedom,” a quote about “new life, new beginnings… new boundaries,” and references to her late brother Beau and her father.

But why parting ways after 13 years?
Despite the growing speculation, the specific reason for their divorce remains unknown, since Philadelphia divorce complaints are not public records. Furthermore, Ashley or Dr. Krein has yet to issue a public statement to clarify their decision or the circumstances.