Anthony Albanese says he feels a real sense of history ahead of taking an entourage of Australians to London for the Queen’s funeral.

The prime minister will leave Sydney later on Thursday with Governor-General David Hurley and their partners to attend the state funeral on Monday.

He is set to attend multiple events ahead of the occasion, which he said would be momentous.

“I feel a real sense of history here and a sense of privilege in representing Australia along with the governor-general and the acting high commissioner,” Mr Albanese told ABC Radio.

“That sense of history and the longevity of service and the dedication to service that Queen Elizabeth had over those seven decades is one of the reasons why there is an outpouring of emotion.”

The prime minister will view the Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall and sign a condolence book at Lancaster House.

He will also have a one-on-one meeting with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, along with a reception with other commonwealth leaders.

The prime minister will meet with new UK Prime Minister Liz Truss in Kent, with a similar meeting also scheduled with Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau.

Mr Albanese said the accession of King Charles III to the throne had prompted many changes, along with how the country is governed.

“One of the things that is occurring is that Australians are now more conscious of our system of government. There have been people who have expressed surprise to me about how King Charles has ascended to the throne automatically,” he said.

“It is a chance, I think, for us to reflect on the system that we have over a period of time.”

The prime minister has previously ruled out holding a referendum on Australia becoming a republic during his first term in office, saying the constitutional priority was enshrining an Indigenous voice to parliament.

Mr Albanese will take with him 10 “everyday Australians” as requested by the Palace.

A reception will be held at Australia House in London in the lead up to the funeral for all the Australians attending the service for the Queen.

The prime minister’s plane will also transport officials and heads of state from neighbouring commonwealth countries including Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Samoa.

At least one other Pacific nation is expected to be provided with support.

Also on the flight will be prominent racing identities Gai and Robbie Waterhouse, who were invited to the funeral by Buckingham Palace.

Mr Albanese said an invitation was extended for the pair to be on his plane due to a lack of commercial flights.

“They were having difficulty getting across. As you can understand, it’s a bit full at the moment,” he said,

“Australians would be very accepting that Gai and Robbie Waterhouse (are attending), with the relationship they had training, of course, the Queen’s horses and having audiences with the Queen at Royal Ascot.”

Meanwhile, more than 21,000 Australians have signed an online condolence book on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website.

Physical books are also available to sign at Parliament House and Government House in Canberra as well as official residences in other states and territories.

Mr Albanese will return to Australia on Wednesday, ahead of the national remembrance public holiday on Thursday, which will feature a memorial service in Canberra attended by all state and territory leaders.

– AAP

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