Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States when he swears the oath of office at the US Capitol in Washington.

Flouting tradition, Donald Trump departed Washington on Wednesday morning ahead of the inauguration rather than accompany his successor to the Capitol.

At the age of 78, Mr Biden will be the oldest president inaugurated, while Kamala Harris will become the first woman to be vice president. She is also the first black person and the first person of South Asian descent elected to the vice presidency.

Here’s the latest from Washington:

4.15pm

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have arrived at the US Capitol in Washington.

2.45pm

Joe Biden and his wife Jill, as well as vice president-elect Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, attended Mass at the Cathedral of St Matthew the Apostle as part of the Inauguration Day ceremonies in Washington.

2.30pm

Donald Trump did follow at least one presidential tradition, with the White House saying the Republican president left behind a note for his successor, Democrat Joe Biden.

Deputy press secretary Judd Deere declined to reveal what Mr Trump wrote to Mr Biden or to characterise the sentiment in the note, citing privacy for communication between presidents.

2.20pm

In a departure from tradition, Donald Trump departed Washington ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration rather than accompany his successor to the US Capitol.