US President Joe Biden has shockingly withdrawn from his bid for re-election, with the possibility of Vice President Kamala Harris stepping into his shoes. Biden, 81, has already endorsed and offered his "full support" for Harris, 59, to be the Democratic nominee.

On Sunday, 21 July, just four months before polls open for American citizens to vote, it was announced that Biden, the current US President, will end his candidacy for re-election. Biden will remain president until the winner of the 2024 election takes office in January.

In a post on his social media account, Biden said: "My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term." He went on to share his endorsement for his Vice President and added: "My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made.

"Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this." But what do we know about Kamala Harris, who could be in the running to be the next US President? Let's take a closer look...

Who is Kamala Harris?

Kamala Harris, 59, hails from Oakland, California, and previously studied political science and economics at Howard University before attending the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She made history when she became the first woman, first black and first Asian-American to serve as Vice President when Joe Biden chose her as his aide when he became US President in 2021.

Is Kamala Harris married?

Harris has been married to her American lawyer husband Douglas Emhoff since 2014. While she doesn't have any children of her own, she is a stepmother to her husband's two children, Cole and Ella Emhoff.

Who are Kamala Harris's parents?

The Vice President has previously credited her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, for empowering her to look for solutions and spoke about it further during an interview with Good Morning America. She shared: "I was raised that, when you see a problem, you don't complain about it, you go and do something about it."

Her mother was Indian and her father, Donald J. Harris, 85, is Jamaican - she also has a younger sister, Maya Harris, who is an American lawyer.

Who are Kamala Harris's famous friends?

The Vice President, who made history when she was announced as Biden's Vice President in 2020, is no stranger to the limelight and has a bundle of celebrity friends to prove it. Her biggest connection is with former US President Barack Obama, who has openly spoken about her qualities when Biden chose her as his aide.

Obama previously wrote: "I’ve known Senator Harris for a long time. She is more than prepared for the job. She’s spent her career defending our Constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake.

"Her own life story is one that I and so many others can see ourselves in: a story that says that no matter where you come from, what you look like, how you worship, or who you love, there’s a place for you here. It’s a fundamentally American perspective, one that’s led us out of the hardest times before. And it’s a perspective we can all rally behind right now."

But her A-list ties go further than politics as she's also close friends with actress Elizabeth Banks. In 2020, the Pitch Perfect star wrote: "Congrats to all of us, especially @joebiden because @kamalaharris is a powerhouse", alongside a snap with Harris.

Actress Jennifer Garner is another famous friend of Harris's who also shared her support in 2020 and wrote: "Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose." John Legend is another name on her suspected Christmas card list as he has also publicly supported Harris in the past.

In a tweet back in 2020, he penned: "Very happy for our friend and Senator and future Vice-President, @KamalaHarris, and very much looking forward to voting for the Biden-Harris ticket to begin the difficult work of recovering from this nightmare presidency and building an even better future."

Harris has also received support from One Tree Hill alum Sophia Bush, actresses Jessica Alba, Zooey Deschanel, and America Ferrera. Not to mention further support from big names such as Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, Joe Jonas, Reese Witherspoon, Whoopi Goldberg, P!nk and Maya Rudolph.