Former US President Jimmy Carter, 96, will not come to Washington to attend Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20 due to his old age.

Mr. Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, 93, would instead send "best wishes" to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, saying they "look forward to a major.

This will be the first time the oldest living US president has missed an inauguration since Carter was sworn in 1977. He was both present at President Donald Trump's inauguration in 2017 and

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Carter couple stayed mostly at home in the city of Plains, Georgia, where they both grew up and lived since leaving the White House in 1981.

In March 2019, Mr. Carter became the longest living US president, surpassing former President George H.W.

Meanwhile, former President George W. Bush announced he would attend Biden's inauguration.

"The President and Mrs. Bush are looking forward to returning to Capitol Hill for the oath of President Biden and Vice President Harris," said Freddy Ford, Bush's chief of staff, on the same day.

The Bush and his wife were both present at the inauguration of Obama and Trump.

"Despite our political differences, I know Joe Biden was a good man who won the opportunity to lead and unify our country," Bush said at the time.