While President Joe Biden's granddaughter, Naomi Biden, is set to be the center of attention when she weds on Saturday, the ceremony will also serve as something of an introduction for her fiancé, Peter Neal, to the wider American public.
In a ceremony that has been largely shrouded in secrecy in its leadup, Naomi Biden, 28, and Neal, 25, will exchange vows on the White House's South Lawn before an exclusive list of guests 14 months after announcing their engagement.
Naomi Biden, the daughter of Hunter Biden and his ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle, teased a glimpse of the upcoming nuptials on Thursday, when she shared an Instagram Story post of a wreath of white roses affixed to an imposing set of gates.
For his part, Neal on Thursday shared a glimpse of himself and his partner holding hands while standing before a chiffon-wrapped arch.
Captioning the image, which was geotagged as having been taken at the Marriage Bureau in Washington, D.C., Neal wrote: "Gotta nail the money shot to secure the license to wed," adding that the snapshot was taken with the aid of a self-timer.
As Neal marries into one of America's most famous families, questions will undoubtedly be asked about his life and relationship with Naomi Biden.
Hailing from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Neal is the son of Drs. Mary C. Neal and William C. Neal, according to The New York Times. Of his three siblings, brother Willie died in a roller-skating accident back in 2009.
With tragedy being a well-documented part of the Biden family's story, Naomi Biden is actually named for the president's firstborn daughter, who was killed in a car crash back in 1972 alongside Joe Biden's first wife, Neilia.
Naomi Biden and Neal embarked on a romantic relationship after they were set up on a date by a mutual friend in New York City back in 2018, per the White House.
Neal proposed on September 4, 2021, with an emerald-cut diamond in a setting that incorporated the band of his grandmother's engagement ring, according to The New York Times.
They also have careers in common. While Naomi Biden is an associate at law firm Arnold & Porter, Neal—who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's law school this year—is an associate at Georgetown Law's Center on National Security.
According to The New York Times, the lovebirds currently live at the White House.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, they also share a passion for politics. With Naomi Biden being born into such surroundings, Neal's interest in politics led to him interning at the White House during former President Barack Obama's administration, on which Joe Biden served as vice president.
Neal later worked on Hillary Clinton's ill-fated 2016 presidential campaign, an experience which Neal later described as a "wild, wild" journey, per The New York Times.
In a since-deleted Instagram post following Donald Trump's triumph over Clinton, Neal wrote: "Nothing comes easy, and no one understands that better than Hillary Clinton. She has set the bar for what it means to be a public servant, and it's time for all of us to take notes, buckle down, and follow suit."
The Clinton association will also be a theme at Neal's wedding, as The New York Times has reported that revered planner Bryan Rafanelli, who oversaw Hillary and Bill Clinton's daughter Chelsea Clinton's wedding in 2010, will be at the helm.
Neal, who has been photographed spending time with his in-laws at the White House, showed his support for the current president long before the wedding. As Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 Election, Neal said in an Instagram post at the time that it marked "a new day in America."
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Ryan Smith is a Newsweek Senior Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
