Ashley Biden, the 44‑year‑old daughter of former President Joe Biden, has filed for divorce from her husband of 13 years, Dr. Howard Krein. She submitted the papers on August 11, 2025, in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Because divorce complaints in that court are not made publicly available, the precise reasons for her decision remain private.

On the same day she filed, Ashley shared a post on her Instagram Story: a photo of herself walking through a park giving a thumbs-up, paired with Beyoncé’s song “Freedom.” She also reposted a quote that said, “New life, new beginnings means new boundaries. New ways of being that won’t look or sound like they did before,” set to Lauryn Hill’s “Freedom Time.” These posts hint at her embracing a new phase of self‑determination and renewal rather than simply reacting to a breakup.

Ashley and Howard Krein’s relationship began around 2010, when she was introduced to him by her late brother, Beau Biden. They got engaged in 2011 — reportedly after Krein proposed at sunset on a cliff in Big Sur, California. In June 2012, they married in Greenville, Delaware, in an interfaith ceremony combining Ashley’s Catholic background with Krein’s Jewish heritage.

Krein is a prominent medical doctor, with both an M.D. and a Ph.D., working in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Thomas Jefferson University.  Over the years, Ashley has maintained a relatively low public profile, devoting herself to social work, activism, and nonprofit work.

In her public reflections, Ashley has emphasized her closeness with her father, Joe Biden. On August 30, she posted a selfie from a hike she took with him in Delaware, writing, “Chicken soup for my soul … I feel so grateful for our walks and talks. #1 Dad.” Another image from that day showed her with a sticker reading “Peace of Mind,” suggesting she’s turning to family and introspection during this challenging time.

While the divorce marks a deeply personal transition for Ashley, the lack of publicly available legal documents means much of the story remains private. Through her Instagram posts, though, she has framed the split not as a failure, but as a deliberate step toward greater autonomy and self-realization.