Australia will mark a national memorial and national day of mourning to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who died early Friday morning Australian time.
Federal parliament will be suspended for 15 days and gun salutes arranged across the country.
With the monarch’s passing, a complex set of pre-arranged formalities and protocol has begun, which will unfold over the next fortnight.
The governor general, David Hurley, the Queen’s representative in Australia, was informed of her death by Buckingham Palace. Hurley, in turn, informed the prime minister, Anthony Albanese.
How will Australia mark the Queen’s death?
Australia will not observe an official mourning period, as is being observed in the UK. However the national memorial service, expected to be held in approximately two weeks’ time, will be declared a day of mourning.
The plans of observance from the Australian government set out a 14-day series of events from the day of the Queen’s death – referred to as “D-Day”. The schedule sets out the daily plans as “D+1”, “D+2” and so on.
The plans dictate that the Australian flag will be flown at half-mast, as a mark of mourning and respect, until after the day of the Queen’s funeral on D+10. The only flags to remain at full-mast will be the vice-regal standards, such as the governor general’s standard. Those flags do not fly at half-mast because they represent the monarchy, which is continuous.
Hurley will make a national address at 6.55pm tonight.
The Queen’s funeral
Albanese and Hurley will travel to London in coming days, where they will meet King Charles and attend the Queen’s funeral at Westminster Abbey – to be held 10 days after her death.
Albanese told 2GB radio that he would travel in about four days’ time. The governor general, the prime minister, the high commissioner to the UK (currently Lynette Wood, who is temporarily acting in the role before a new official appointment), as well as their partners, have been invited to the funeral. The Australian newspaper reported official government plans note “perhaps a dozen notable Australians” may be invited.
Albanese, Hurley and Wood will be invited to a brief audience with King Charles on D+8. Albanese and Hurley will attend the Queen’s lying in state at Westminister Hall on the same day.
Memorial services observed at parliament
Parliament House in Canberra will host a national memorial service in Australia when Albanese and Hurley return from London, approximately 12 days from now, which will be marked as a national day of mourning. Details are expected to be shared today, but state premiers, former prime ministers and other dignitaries will be invited, and a minute’s silence will be observed.
“There are a range of commemorations that will occur … and we’ll be making announcements about that over the next 48 hours,” Albanese told 2GB.
Protocol dictates that federal parliament will be suspended for at least 15 days in a mark of respect for the Queen, with parliament to mark condolence motions on the next sitting day.
Parliament yesterday rose for the week and was due to return on Monday for another week. Based on the parliamentary sitting calendar, a 15-day suspension may not see federal politicians return to Canberra until 25 October – the day of the federal budget.
Other federal ministers are already cancelling scheduled public events on Friday, out of respect for the Queen’s death.
Parliament House will host a gun salute at dusk this evening, with one round for each year of the Queen’s life at 10 second intervals. That would be 96 rounds, about 16 minutes of gunfire.
Tomorrow, Hurley, Albanese, the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, and other federal politicians will lay wreaths at Parliament House. On Sunday, Hurley will read a proclamation at Parliament House, where there will again be a 21-gun salute.
Flowers may be left at Parliament House or Government House in Canberra. The royal family have noted that instead of leaving floral tributes, Australians may wish to consider making a donation to a charity of their choice.
The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s website has been altered to note the death of the Queen, and online condolence books have been opened. Condolence books will also open at Parliament House and Government House.
Wood will tomorrow attend the proclamation of Charles as King. The next day she will attend a reception with the King, and been invited to his speech to British parliament the day after.
Flags return to full-mast on D+11, the day after the Queen’s funeral.
Meanwhile, the Sydney Opera House sails will be lit up in honour of the Queen on Friday and Saturday nights.
Both the New South Wales and Queensland parliaments, which were due to sit next week, will be adjourned.
In Victoria, MPs are required to swear allegiance to the new monarch, expected to take place on Tuesday.It is unclear whether condolence motions will follow or if parliament will adjourn for a period of time.
The upcoming sitting week was expected to be the final of the parliament’s term before the state goes to an election in November.
