Biden watches fireworks with grandchildren from White House balcony as he repeats ‘unity’ call at end of momentous day for America

In his first address, President Biden urged Americans to come together for the common love of the country

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden watch a fireworks show on the National Mall  (Getty Images)

Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, and their extended family watched from the White House as fireworks lit up the sky at the end of a star-studded inauguration event, where the newly-elected president urged Americans to “unify” for their common love of the country.

Standing at the blue room balcony on the first floor of the White House above the south lawn, the president and the first lady watched the end of the day's events as their grandchildren and other family members clapped.

The inauguration this time was very different from the ones in the past — vastly scaled back due to the coronavirus pandemic and security concerns. However, the celebratory atmosphere was maintained with numerous live and recorded performances.

Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, also watched the fireworks from the steps of the Washington Monument after Ms Harris delivered her speech as the first woman vice-president of US.

Earlier, Mr Biden, after becoming the 46th president, said in his first speech: “This is a great nation. We're a good people and [to] overcome the challenges in front of us requires the most elusive of all things in a democracy — unity.”

“It requires us to come together in common love that defines us as Americans,” he added.

Standing next to the Lincoln memorial, the president said it was “humbling to stand here in this place in front of these sacred words.”

“Will we meet the moment like our forebears have?” he asked. “I believe we must and I believe we will. You, the American people, are the reason why I have never been more optimistic about America than I am this very day,” he said.

"There isn't anything we can't do, if we do it together,” he added. “So thank you for this honour, I will give my all to you.”