Australia’s Prime Minister and other political leaders have honoured Queen Elizabeth II, laying wreaths at Parliament House as mourning continued around the country.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Governor-General David Hurley, and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton marked her passing with a ceremony at the Queen’s Terrace on Saturday.<\/p>\n
It comes some 34 years after the monarch opened the new Parliament House, unveiling a statue of herself at the site.<\/p>\n
The Queen’s eldest son became King Charles III upon her death early Friday morning at Scotland’s Balmoral Castle.<\/p>\n
He was officially declared King at a ceremony at London’s St James’s Palace on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
Earlier, he promised to serve the crown’s realms and territories worldwide with “loyalty, respect and love”.<\/p>\n
“As the Queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself,” King Charles said.<\/p>\n
Shortly after the wreath-laying, Mr Albanese pointed to the King’s comments on the “affection, admiration and respect” the Queen inspired, which became a hallmark of her 70-year reign.<\/p>\n
“That’s why so many Australians have made moving tributes and are mourning this enormous loss,” he said. “She was a constant reassuring presence.”<\/p>\n
The sails of the Sydney Opera House, which the Queen opened in 1973, were illuminated in her honour on Friday.<\/p>\n
So too were monuments in other cities, and again on Saturday night, as flags fly at half-mast around the nation.<\/p>\n
Across the country, Australians continued to mark the historic death, laying flowers at Government House in Sydney, Melbourne and other state capitals.<\/p>\n
Sandra Alexandridis, of Reservoir, burst into tears outside Melbourne’s makeshift memorial while remembering the Queen.<\/p>\n
“She was a rock of society … it’s like you’ve lost your grandmother,” she told AAP.<\/p>\n
In Sydney, 82-year-old Warren Fairfax prayed for the Queen at two separate churches on his way to Government House on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Some 65 years ago, he was there receiving a Queen’s Scout award along with other boys from across the country.<\/p>\n
“I wanted to come back and just pay respects to her\u2026 I just wanted to do that today,” Mr Fairfax said.<\/p>\n
A 96-gun salute took place in the Federal Parliament forecourt on Friday – one round for each year of the Queen’s life.<\/p>\n
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