Joe Biden marries his granddaughter at the White House and behind closed doors

Joe Biden can be a happy grandfather. His granddaughter Naomi Biden, 28, a lawyer, and Peter Neal, 25, a lawyer, exchanged vows at 11 a.m. local time (4 p.m. local time) in front of about 250 guests, according to a presidential statement. “We wish them days filled with laughter and a love that grows deeper every year,” said Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden, quoted in this press release.

An official photograph shows the bride in a dress with a lace bodice, designed according to CNN by American fashion designer Ralph Lauren, and her husband, in a navy blue suit, surrounded by “Pop” and “Nana” – the nicknames given to Joe and Jill Biden by their grandchildren.

A gala evening financed by the Bidens

After the ceremony, which took place under a cold sun in the gardens of the White House, adorned with garlands of immaculate flowers, the guests were invited to lunch in one of the state rooms. A gala evening, with “dance and dessert” is still planned, all being financed by the Bidens.

It is not entirely unusual for the grand colonnaded building to host weddings. The White House Historical Association counted that eighteen marriages had already been celebrated there, for example that of Richard Nixon’s daughter in 1971.

First time

But this is the first time that a president has married his granddaughter there. The services of Joe Biden, who will celebrate his 80th birthday on Sunday, were sparing with details on the wedding, a private event entirely to the press. The bride is the eldest daughter of Hunter Biden, the 79-year-old Democrat’s youngest son. The President of the United States, patriarch of an extremely tight-knit clan, is very close to his grandchildren, who are often seen by his side, including at official events.

Naomi takes its name from the first daughter of Joe Biden, who died when she was still a baby in a car accident which also claimed the life, in 1972, of the first wife of the American president. The press attributes her great importance in the private circle and indicates that she pushed her grandfather to run for the 2020 presidential election.

Joe Biden, who says he intends to run again in 2024, said his final decision will be made after family discussions. He plans to announce it early next year.

source site