Biden inauguration: Who are the future president and vice-president’s children?

Ms Harris’ stepchildren refer to her as ‘Momala’

Who are the incoming first children? (Getty Images)

This week, president-elect Joe Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris take office as the new leaders of the United States.

The transition will also see the first family and the second family move into their new homes at the White House, and the Naval Observatory, respectively.

When Mr Biden and his wife, Dr Jill Biden, move into the White House, they will do so with just their dogs, Major and Champ, and their cat, as their children are older.

Ms Harris and husband Doug Emhoff’s children are also not expected to join them in Washington, or the home reserved for the second family, as they are both in their 20s.

This is everything you need to know about the children of the future first and second families.

Who are the incoming president’s children?

The future president had four children, Hunter, Beau, Naomi and Ashley, but lost two to tragic circumstances.

In 1972, Mr Biden’s first wife Neilia and their daughter Naomi, who was just one year old, were killed when their car was hit by a tractor-trailer days before Christmas.

The accident left Mr Biden a single father to sons Hunter and Beau, who survived the crash.

Mr Biden eventually met Dr Biden, then Jill Tracy Jacobs, in 1975, with the pair marrying two years later.

Dr Biden gave birth to the couple’s daughter Ashley Blazer Biden, in 1981.

In 2015, Mr Biden lost his second child, Beau, who was a politician like his father, to brain cancer at just 46 years old. Prior to his death, he was Delaware’s attorney general.

He is buried at St Joseph’s on the Brandwine in Greenville, Delaware, alongside his mother and sister.

When Mr Biden takes office, his son Hunter Biden will be 50 years old. Hunter, who was this year the subject of multiple controversies, has struggled with alcohol and drug addictions over the years.

Throughout his professional career, Hunter has worked as an investor and lobbyist.

He is the father to children Naomi, named after his late sister; Finnegan, and Maisy, who he shares with ex-wife Kathleen Buhle.

In May 2019, he married South African filmmaker Melissa Cohen, with the couple welcoming a son in March 2020.

Hunter also has a child with Lunden Alexis Roberts.

During the presidential debates, Mr Biden expressed his pride over his son, telling the audience following comments made by President Trump about Hunter’s addiction: “I'm proud of him. I'm proud of my son.”

Ashley, 39, studied cultural anthropology at Tulane University, before later graduating with a master of social work from University of Pennsylvania.

She later worked as a social worker in Washington, DC, and has also launched her own clothing company, Livelihood.

In June 2012, Ashley married her husband Dr Howard David Krein.

In addition to their two children, the future president and first lady also have seven grandchildren.

Who are the future vice president’s children?

When the election was called for Mr Biden and Ms Harris, the future vice president expressed her love for her immediate and extended family in her victory speech.

"To my husband Doug; our children, Cole and Ella; my sister, Maya; and our whole family, I love you all more than I can express. We are so grateful to Joe and Jill [Biden] for welcoming our family into theirs on this incredible journey,” she said.

When Ms Harris married her husband in 1992, he had two children from his previous marriage, Cole, 26, and Ella, 21, named for jazz greats John Coltrane and Ella Fitzgerald.

According to the future vice president, it was Emhoff’s children, who refer to her as “Momala,” a play on her name and the Yiddish term “mamaleh”, meaning little mama, that “reeled” her in.

“Cole and Ella could not have been more welcoming,” she previously told Elle. “They are brilliant, talented, funny kids who have grown to be remarkable adults. I was already hooked on Doug, but I believe it was Cole and Ella who reeled me in.”

Cole graduated from Colorado College with a degree in psychology in 2017. He currently lives in Santa Monica, California, where he works as an executive assistant for music company Plan B Entertainment.

Ella is currently attending Parsons School of Design in New York City.

As for what it’s been like since Ms Harris was elected vice president, the children told The New York Times it has taken some getting used to.

“It feels completely unprecedented for us because we haven't really been around politics our entire life,” Cole said, adding: “We're still kind of getting used to it.”

Ella also discussed life since Ms Harris’ election, and the “insane” idea of sharing her parents with the world.

“I think the idea of sharing our parents with the world is kind of insane,” she said. "Like, it's a really cool thing to wrap your head around - because you get to share all the great things - but it's also like, Huh?!"

As for what it was like growing up with Ms Harris as a stepparent, the children said it was “nice to have so many different, really strong opinions”.

“We always joke that whenever we bring our friends over for the first time they’re going to get grilled. Like, if you don’t have your 10-year plan, like, fully ready and outlined in a spreadsheet for them, you’re not going to survive that meal,” she said.

Cole shared one example about being late for curfew, telling the outlet: “I was a senior when they got together, and I remember I saw a tweet that someone did. It was a photo of Kamala at the Kavanaugh hearing, and someone tweeted, like: ‘I’d hate to have to look at that face and explain why I’m late for curfew.’ And I was thinking: ‘I’ve literally had to do that.’”

The future vice president’s stepchildren also discussed her relationship with their dad, which they called “vomit-inducingly cute and coupley”.

“It’s so insane. It’s like the honeymoon phase forever. Like, the rest of the world gets to see it on social media, but we live that,” Ella said.

However, the children are confident their father will adapt well to his new role as second gentleman.

“I think Doug is a bit of a chameleon, and that’s why everyone loves him. Like, he can fit in in any room,” Cole said, adding: “I think of all people, Doug was like randomly born for this.”

Ms Harris and Mr Emhoff also have nieces, nephews and godchildren.