Australia will hold a National Day of Mourning for Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday 22 September 2022.
Australians will get a one-off public holiday on the national day of mourning for Queen Elizabeth II later this month.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has written to Premiers and Chief Ministers asking they declare this day a National Public Holiday to commemorate Her Majesty’s remarkable life and dedication to service.
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“Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second led a remarkable life, dedicated to service and duty,” Albanese said.
“Queen Elizabeth II is the only reigning monarch most Australians have known and her faithful service will be remembered for centuries to come.
“Her Majesty was the only reigning monarch to ever to visit Australia and it was clear from her first trip that she had a special place in our hearts.
“I have asked Premiers and Chief Ministers that Thursday 22 September 2022 be declared a National Public Holiday in honour of the life and service of our late Queen.
“Over the coming weeks, Australia will continue to commemorate our late Queen.
“I encourage all Australians, wherever you may be, to take time to pause and reflect on Her Majesty’s extraordinary life of service.”
The one-off public holiday will coincide with a memorial service for the Queen, three days after the royal funeral in London. The Queen’s funeral is set to take place on Monday September 19 at 11am local time, which is approximately 8pm AEST that evening.
The National Memorial Service will be held at 11:00am in the Great Hall of Australian Parliament House in Canberra and will begin with one minute’s silence. It will be broadcast live across the nation.
The Prime Minister, Governor-General David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Premiers and Chief Ministers and other attendees from across Australia will be invited to come together to pay their respects.
The chosen date means Victoria will have two public holidays in a row before the AFL Grand Final, with the state government already hosting a public holiday on Friday, September 23.
This comes as Charles III was proclaimed the King of Australia on Sunday morning.
Governor-General David Hurley presided over a meeting of the Executive Council, a body composed of cabinet ministers but which is specifically responsible for advising him on constitutional change and other matters of national significance.
Before the meeting entered its closed session Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recommended the proclamation.
“Today, we mark formally the new head of state in King Charles III and the proclamation, the first in my lifetime and the first in a majority of Australian’s lifetime,” he said.
“Queen Elizabeth and her devotion to duty will be recorded in history for centuries to come so we have a solemn responsibility here today.”
The Governor-General told members of the council that Australia would now move into a new era.
“Your loyalty to our King, your service to Australia, through your work as a Parliament will assist our country to build on the successes of the second Elizabethan age,” he said.
Leave a condolence message and read more about the Queen’s deep connection to Australia here.
