Sydney Opera House sails lit with Queen’s image to honour her memory
The royal visited Australia 16 times during her 70 years on the throne.
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The Sydney Opera House’s sails were lit up with the Queen’s image as the world continued to mourn the monarch.
The facility’s chief executive Louise Herron noted in an Instagram post that Her Majesty was present when the Opera House was opened in 1973, saying the sails would be lit on Friday and Saturday evenings to honour the “model of strength and stability”.
Ms Herron added the move was made to honour the Queen, who was shown in the post in a formal gown at The Magic Flute at the Opera House in 1973, after a “lifetime of humanity, stoicism and grace”.
Memorial events are being held throughout Australia, which the Queen visited 16 times during her 70 years on the throne, with floral tributes springing up outside government buildings in Sydney and Canberra.
There is no official period of mourning for the country, with most of the events coordinated by federal authorities in the Australian Capital Territory.
Federal parliament, which had been due to return next week, has been suspended for at least 15 days.
Flags at Parliament House in Canberra were flown at half mast as a show of respect on Friday as the Australian Defence Force led a 96-gun salute at dusk, followed by an address to the nation by governor-general David Hurley that began at about 7pm (10am BST).
At the nearby Australian War Memorial, which the Queen visited during the first visit by a reigning monarch in 1954, “Queen Elizabeth II” was projected on to the Hall of Memory on Friday night.
Condolence books have been made available at Parliament House and Government House in Canberra.
Books are also open at government houses in each state, and online condolence forms have also been created on the governor-general and department of the prime minister and cabinet websites.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese and Mr Hurley have confirmed they will attend the Queen’s funeral in the UK, where they will meet Charles as monarch for the first time.
When they return, a national memorial service will be held at Parliament House to mark a national day of mourning.
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