The Beale family, at this present time, are Ian Beale, his wife Jane and his three children Lucy, Peter and Bobby.

The Beales were the original family of Eastenders when it first started in Febuary 1985. There was Ian Beale who is the son to Kathy and Pete Beale. Ians aunt is Pauline Fowler, who is Petes twin sister. (See Fowler family for more) A few years later you learned Pete Beale had a few more sons with his first wife Pat Evans (See Evans family)

Kathy Beale was a barmaid at the Queen Vic which was owned by Angie Watts and had opened her own knitting service which made the Beales a financially stable. Pete Beale owned the Fruit and Veg store but everything wasn't plain sailing for them.

In October 1985, Nick Cotton, the local "gangster" had broken into the Doctors Surgery and stole Kathys medical notes. This revealed when she was younger she had a daughter after being raped by her music teacher. This was something her husband didn't know. In 1987 the daughter tried to find Kathy but she did not want to know. So her daughter, Donna, secretly moved to Walford without telling anyone who she was to be later told by Kathy to move out of Walford after discovering her identity. But in 1988 Kathy was raped again by her employer James Willmott Brown which resulted in Kathy and Petes divorce.

Both Kathy and Pete moved on from each other soon after their divorce.  Pete Beale later died in May 1993 after a car accident and Kathy died off screen in South Africa in 2006.

Ian Beale is the longest running character currently working on Eastenders and has grown with the show.

He has always had an interest in business has a young boy and began his first business venture with his friends Lofty & Kelvin. A few years later he was a partner in a mobile disco business with Barry Clark. After Ian graduated from catering college he started to work in the local cafe and became owner of it as the original owners could not pay for the property anymore. This became Kathys Kaffe.

After a few relationships in his teenagers, Ian had settled down with his girlfriend Cindy. What he didn't know is that Cindy only married him as she had a one night stand with his half brother Simon and became pregnant. The baby was born on Boxing Day 1989 and was named Steven. Ian believed Steven was his son until Cindy confessed nearly a year later. Ian couldn't take anymore and tried to commit suicide. As Ian was in hospital, Cindy and Simon left to her mothers house with Ian following them. Ian then employed Simon as a van driver and it became clear that Ian was tampering with the breaks which made Cindy, Simon and Steven leave in 1990.

Ian then had an affair with his boss but things soon fizzled out as Ian missed Cindy and Steven and tracked them down in 1992. Cindy and Ian got back together in 1993 even though Cindy was bringing attention to herself by men. When she was pregnant, the market trader was claiming he was the father as a revenge for her turning him down. But Ian didn't fully believe and Cindy gave birth to twins Peter and Lucy.

Cindy died off screen after giving birth.

1998 saw the start of a new relationship for Ian with his soon to be 2nd wife Melanie. Mel proposed to Ian in 1999 and they started plans for a millenium wedding. However, while on holiday Mel slept with Steve Owen and doubts started about her marrying Ian. Soon after, Lucy became ill with suspected cancer so Mel couldn't "break the news" during this time. Ian wasn't dumb and realised things weren't 100% so pretended that Lucy did indeed have cancer and was dying from it. Mel discovered the truth on their wedding day and left Ian for good.

Soon after Ian fell for his third wife, who he hired as a nanny named Laura Dunn. Laura was attracted to Ian so he took advantage and used her for sex, but Laura wanted more and they later married after her raising the money to buy the fish and chip shop after Ian went bankrupt. Laura then wanted a baby, but Ian secretly had a vasectmy before agreeing to try for a baby. She then fell pregnant which made Ian furious as he saw history repeating itself and threw her out on Christmas Day 2002. He made Laura sign over control of their businesses. As she had no one to turn to she ran to who she thought was the father, Garry.

In 2003, Laura gave birth to Bobby. However, he was ill and needed a blood transfusion which later proved Ian to be the father to Bobby which Laura kept a secret. Laura took this secret to her grave (She died after falling down the stairs) and it was only revealed after Pat Evans saw the birth certificate with Ians name on. Bobby moved in with Ian soon after in 2004.

In 2004, Ian met his current wife Jane. She was married to David, who was dying from Huntingdons Disease. After he died Ian was Janes shoulder to cry on and she moved in with him soon after.

Things haven't been rosy for the Beales since Ian moved in with Jane, for a start Steven returned and nearly killed Jane! And currently they are dealing with Peters relationship with Janes best friend Tanyas daughter Lauren & Lucys rebellious ways.