Australia's national day of mourning for Queen Elizabeth II to be public holiday

Anthony Albanese said the one-off holiday would "allow people to pay their respects" to the Queen.

Visitors walk past Australian flags flying at half mast outside Parliament House in Canberra, Friday, September 9, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II has died peacefully at Balmoral Palace in Scotland after more than seven decades on the throne. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING Source: AAP / LUKAS COCH/AAPIMAGE

Australia will observe a public holiday on September 22 in mourning for the Queen's death

• The Queen's funeral will take place on Monday, September 19
• The sessions of the Federal Parliament has been suspended to mourn the death of the Queen

Australians will have a one-off public holiday on 22 September as the nation holds a memorial service day for Queen Elizabeth II. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the holiday on Sunday. "That's to allow people to pay their respects for the passing of Queen Elizabeth," he told ABC's Insiders program.

"I spoke to all premiers and chief ministers yesterday and I'm writing to them formally this morning ... they will have received their letters by now. They have all agreed that it's appropriate that it be a one-off national public holiday."

The Queen's funeral in London has been confirmed for Monday, 19 September.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth sits at a desk in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace Source: AAP