Governor-General David Hurley and are expected to fly to London on Thursday to attend her funeral and the two weeks of observance will continue until they return.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signs the Book of Condolences at Parliament House in Canberra.James Brickwood
The final stage in the official plan will be a national day of mourning including one minute’s silence to mark the Queen’s passing and her 70 years on the throne.
A gun salute will begin at dusk – about 5pm – on Friday,with cannons firing one round every 10 seconds for each of the 96 years of the Queen’s life.
“Today marks the end of an era,the close of the second Elizabethan age,” Albanese said in an address to the nation early on Friday.
“This time of mourning will pass,but the deep respect and warm regard in which Australians have always held for her will never fade.”
A gun salute will begin at dusk on Friday.Alex Ellinghausen
Albanese announced that he and the governor-general would head to London for the funeral and said more details would be released about the program over the next 48 hours.
Australia’s mourning period
While the dates of key events may change,the plan is for the governor-general,the prime minister and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to lay wreaths in Parliament House on Saturday,joined by federal ministers,MPs and senators.
Condolence books will be opened in Parliament House,Government House and online for Australians to express their sorrow before and after the funeral in London.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the media following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
While there is no official mourning period for the entire period,the observance will continue until the prime minister declares the day of a national memorial service and a national day of mourning.
Flags have been lowered to half-mast after the announcement from Buckingham Palace and are not expected to be raised to full-mast until 11 days after the Queen’s death. They will be flown at half-mast on the day of mourning and the national memorial service.
“Her death will sadden all Australians and will be felt around the world,” the governor-general said in a statement at 3:51 am on Friday.
“As we mourn,we should also take inspiration from and give thanks for the remarkable contribution Her Majesty has made.”
Dutton said the Queen had ruled with an empathetic heart and wisdom gained from almost a century of life and experience.
“The last page has been inked on an exceptional reign,” he said. “Her Majesty was gentle,kind,and much-loved.”
The proclamation of the new sovereign will begin with a meeting of the Accession Council at St James’s Palace in London,expected to be on Saturday,and the proclamation of Prince Charles as the next king of the United Kingdom,Australia and other Commonwealth nations.
High commissioners of the realms will be invited as observers. The Australian high commissioner in London,George Brandis,left the post in April and is yet to be replaced. He will be represented by the acting high commissioner,Lynette Wood.
Because the Privy Council attends the proclamation,an invitation to attend will be extended to two Australian privy counsellors,Sir William Heseltine,a former private secretary to the Queen;and Ian Sinclair,a former leader of the Nationals,cabinet minister and speaker of the House of Representatives.
Proclaiming the king
Albanese will lead a meeting of ministers as the Executive Council at 11 am on Sunday to consider the proclamation on the accession of the King,with all ministers invited to attend,and this will lead to a formal recommendation to the governor-general to issue the proclamation in Australia.
The governor-general is expected to read the proclamation at noon this Sunday at Parliament House in an event that is open to the public and will be marked by a 21-gun salute.
Following the accession,the King is expected to deliver a speech to parliament in Westminster on Monday. The date of the coronation will be set at a later time by Buckingham Palace.
Only later in the week,however,will the governor-general and the prime minister fly to London with their partners for the funeral. Once in London,Albanese is expected to have a brief audience with the King.
Parliament was due to return on Monday for four days and this was to be followed by a five-week break. Albanese is expected to proceed with his visit to Japan from September 26 to 28 to attend the funeral of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.
No decision has been made on whether to add another sitting week to the parliamentary calendar later in the year.
Parliament is due to return on October 25,the day of the federal budget.
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