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The state funeral for Queen Elizabeth will be held on Monday, September 19, royal officials say, as her son Charles was officially proclaimed the new king in a colourful ceremony laden with pageantry and dating back centuries.

The death of the 96-year-monarch has provoked tears, sadness and warm tributes, not just from the Queen's own close family and many Britons, but also from around the world - reflecting her presence on the world stage for 70 years.

"We all thought she was invincible," her grandson Prince William, now the heir to the throne, said.

"It's been surreal," he said during a walkabout outside Windsor Castle where he and his wife Kate appeared closely in public for the first time in two years with his younger brother Harry and his wife Meghan - a sign Elizabeth's death might help heal a rift between Charles' sons.

Elizabeth's oak coffin, covered with the royal standard of Scotland and with a wreath of flowers on top, has been lying in the ballroom of Balmoral Castle, her summer home in Scotland where she died peacefully on Thursday.

On Sunday, it will be driven by hearse through remote highland villages to Scotland's capital Edinburgh during a six-hour journey that will allow people to pay their respects.

The coffin will then be flown to London on Tuesday where it will remain at Buckingham Palace before being taken to Westminster Hall to lie in state until the funeral at Westminster Abbey at 11am (8pm AEST) on September 19.

The death of Elizabeth, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, has prompted an outpouring of tributes around the globe.

Buildings and landmarks in Europe, the Americas and Africa have been lit up in the red, white and blue of the United Kingdom's flag.

Charles, 73, immediately succeeded his mother but an Accession Council met at St James - the most senior royal palace in the United Kingdom built for Henry VIII in the 1530s - to proclaim him as king on Saturday.

The council - formed of Privy Counsellors whose centuries-old role has been to advise the monarch - included his son and heir William, wife Camilla and the UK's new prime minister, Liz Truss, who signed the proclamation of his accession.

Six former prime ministers, senior bishops and a swathe of politicians cried out "God save the King" as the announcement was approved.

"I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of Sovereignty which have now passed to me," Charles said.

"In taking up these responsibilities, I shall strive to follow the inspiring example I have been set in upholding constitutional government and to seek the peace, harmony and prosperity of the peoples of these islands and of the Commonwealth realms and territories throughout the world."

Later, on the Proclamation Gallery, a balcony above Friary Court of St James's Palace, the Garter King of Arms, David White, accompanied by others in gold and red heraldic outfits read out the Principal Proclamation, as trumpets sounded.

Soldiers in traditional scarlet uniforms shouted "hip, hip, hurrah" as White called for three cheers for the King.

Watching on were a few hundred people allowed into the court, including small children on parents' shoulders, a woman clutching flowers and elderly people on mobility scooters.

Saturday's events reflected proclamations announcing new kings and queens that date back hundreds of years.

He became king and head of state not only of the United Kingdom but of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

It was the first proclamation of a monarch to be televised.

And for most Britons, it was the first such event in their lifetime as Elizabeth was the only monarch they have ever known.

Charles himself was just three when she became queen in 1952.

The UK has declared a period of mourning until the state funeral for Elizabeth, which will be a public holiday.

Leaders from around the world are expected in London for the funeral, including US President Joe Biden, who said on Friday he would attend.

Charles' coronation as king will take place at a later date - and the timing for that is not yet clear.

There was a 16-month gap between Elizabeth becoming queen and her coronation in 1953.

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The coffin of Queen Elizabeth will be taken from her home in the Scottish Highlands on a slow, six-hour journey to Edinburgh, giving the public a chance to line the roads in tribute to the monarch who died after seven decades on the throne.

The death of the 96-year-old has provoked tears, sadness and warm tributes, not just from the queen's own close family and many in Britain, but also from around the globe - reflecting her presence on the world stage for the last 70 years.

On Sunday at 0900 GMT (1900 AEST), Elizabeth's oak coffin, which has been in the ballroom of Balmoral Castle covered with the royal standard of Scotland and with a wreath of flowers on top, will be placed in a hearse by six gamekeepers.

Accompanied by the Queen's daughter, Princess Anne, the cortege will slowly make its way from the remote castle, winding through small towns and villages to Edinburgh where the coffin will be taken to the throne room of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Tens of thousands have gathered at royal palaces in the days since Elizabeth's death on Thursday to leave flowers and to pay their respects.

"I know how deeply you, the entire nation - and I think I may say the whole world - sympathise with me in the irreparable loss we have all suffered," her son King Charles said at a ceremony on Saturday where he was officially proclaimed the new monarch.

"It is the greatest consolation to me to know of the sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and brothers and that such overwhelming affection and support should be extended to our whole family in our loss."

While Elizabeth's death was not totally unexpected given her age, the fact her health had been deteriorating and the passing of her husband of 73 years Prince Philip last year, there was still a sense of shock at the news.

"We all thought she was invincible," her grandson Prince William , now the heir to the throne, told a well-wisher on Saturday as he met crowds at Windsor castle.

Elizabeth's state funeral will be held at London's Westminster Abbey on Monday, September 19, which will be a public holiday in Britain, officials announced.

US President Joe Biden said he would be there, although full details of the event and the attendees have not yet been released.

Before that, her coffin will be flown to London and there will be a sombre procession when it is later moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where it will lie in state for four days.

In 2002 more than 200,000 people queued to pay their respects to Elizabeth's mother while her coffin lay in state and aides have previously said there is an expectation that millions may want to visit.

"It goes without saying that we can expect large numbers of people," the spokesperson for Prime Minister Liz Truss told reporters.

Truss, whose appointment as prime minister on Tuesday was the Queen's last public act, will join King Charles as both the new head of state and prime minister tour the four nations of the United Kingdom in the next few days.

Charles, 73, immediately succeeded his mother but was officially proclaimed as King on Saturday in a colourful ceremony laden with pageantry and dating back centuries following a meeting of the Accession Council at St James's - a royal palace built for Henry VIII in the 1530s.

Charles is now the 41st monarch in a line that traces its origins to the Norman King William the Conqueror who captured the English throne in 1066.

Elizabeth's death has capped a difficult couple of years for the royal family which has seen the loss of Prince Philip, its patriarch, her second son Prince Andrew accused of sex abuse - which he denied - and grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan step down from royal life to move to California.

Harry and Meghan have been alienated from the rest of the family since, with Harry and brother William said to be barely on speaking terms. But the death of their grandmother managed to reunite them, as they appeared together with their wives outside Windsor Castle to meet the crowds on Saturday.

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Queen Elizabeth's coffin is on a six-hour journey from her home in the Scottish Highlands to Edinburgh, as crowds lined the roads to pay tribute to the monarch in the first of a series of solemn events leading up to her funeral on September 19.

At 10am (1900 AEST) on Sunday, Elizabeth's oak coffin, which had been in the ballroom of Balmoral Castle covered with the royal standard of Scotland and with a wreath of flowers on top, was placed in a hearse by six gamekeepers.

Shortly afterwards, the hearse emerged from the gates of Balmoral to head towards the Scottish capital. The Queen died at her summer residence on Thursday aged 96, after 70 years on the throne.

Her death has drawn tears, sadness and warm tributes, not just from the queen's own close family and many in Britain, but also from around the globe - reflecting her presence on the world stage for seven decades.

The Queen came to the throne following the death of her father King George VI on February 6, 1952, when she was 25. Her coronation took place a year later.

Accompanied by the Queen's daughter, Princess Anne, the cortege is slowly making its way from the remote castle, winding through small towns and villages to Edinburgh where the coffin will be taken to the throne room of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

The slow cortege is the first of a series of events leading up to the state funeral in London. Tens of thousands have gathered at royal palaces in the days since Elizabeth's death to leave flowers and to pay their respects.

"I know how deeply you, the entire nation - and I think I may say the whole world - sympathise with me in the irreparable loss we have all suffered," her son King Charles said at a ceremony on Saturday.

Charles became king immediately after his mother's death but was officially proclaimed the new monarch at the ceremony.

While Elizabeth's death was not totally unexpected given her age, the fact her health had been deteriorating and the passing of her husband of 73 years Prince Philip last year, there was still a sense of shock at the news.

"We all thought she was invincible," her grandson Prince William, now the heir to the throne, told a well-wisher on Saturday as he met crowds at Windsor castle.

Elizabeth's funeral will take place at London's Westminster Abbey and September 19 will be a public holiday in Britain, officials announced. US President Joe Biden said he would be there, although full details of the event and the attendees have not yet been released.

Before that, her coffin will be flown to London and there will be a sombre procession when it is later moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where it will lie in state for four days.

Prime Minister Liz Truss, whose appointment as prime minister on Tuesday was the Queen's last public act, will join King Charles as both the new head of state and prime minister tour the four nations of the United Kingdom in the next few days.

Charles, 73, is now the 41st monarch in a line that traces its origins to the Norman King William the Conqueror who captured the English throne in 1066.

He is king and head of state not only of the United Kingdom but of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

Elizabeth's death has capped a difficult couple of years for the royal family, including the death last year of Elizabeth's husband Prince Philip.

Andrew, second son of the late queen and reputed to have been her favourite child, stepped down from royal duties in 2019 after a disastrous TV interview in which he had hoped to clear his name over his relationship to the late US financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan stepped down from royal life in 2020 to move to California.

Harry and Meghan have been alienated from the rest of the family since, with Harry and brother William said to be barely on speaking terms.

But the death of their grandmother seemed to help heal the rift, as they appeared together with their wives outside Windsor Castle to meet the crowds on Saturday.

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Valentine Holmes has kicked a 92nd minute field goal to put North Queensland one game away from the NRL grand final with a 32-30 golden-point win over Cronulla.

In front of 12, 447 fans at PointsBet Stadium on Saturday night, the two sides were tied up 30-30 at the end of regulation time after a late Jason Taumalolo try for the Cowboys.

After 10 minutes of extra-time when neither side was able to score, it was left to Sharks premiership winner Holmes to slot the two-pointer against his former team and give the Cowboys a golden-point victory from 44 metres out.

The win guarantees the Cowboys will host a preliminary final at Townsville's Queensland Country Bank Stadium for the first time.

The winner of the semi-final between Parramatta and Canberra is the only hurdle remaining between them and a place in the grand final.

"Val had a carry in our own half in that same set and he said to the boys as he got up and played the ball, 'I'm taking a shot'," said Cowboys coach Todd Payten.

"That's what happened - he was dialled in and delivered.

"We still have some work to do, but it's very fortunate that we can go home and play in front of our home crowd in a prelim to get in a grand final."

The defeat was just Cronulla's second at home this season and they will now face the winners of Sunday's clash between the Sydney Roosters and South Sydney in a sudden-death game at Allianz Stadium next week.

Cronulla's points tally was the highest for a losing side in a finals game since 2014.

In a see-sawing game where the lead changed five times, both sides would have felt hard done by to be playing next week.

The Cowboys began impressively with Tom Gilbert, Peta Hiku and Tom Dearden all crossing before halftime with Murray Taulagi joining them on the scoresheet after the break.

It was Cronulla, though, who courtesy of a two tries from Will Kennedy and other scores from Toby Rudolf, Siosifa Talakai and Cameron McInnes had put themselves in a position to win late in the game.

They led by eight points by the 72nd minute when Connor Tracey was sin-binned by referee Adam Gee for taking out Holmes as the Cowboys centre attempted to dive on an in-goal grubber.

Prior to his sin-binning, Tracey had a try chalked off after Jesse Ramien was deemed to have obstructed Holmes as a lead runner.

"I thought we were hanging in there quite well but probably freaked a bit with 12 men on the field," said Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon.

"I didn't think he (Ramien) touched him (Holmes). Did he?

"You need the close up to see if he touched him. I didn't think he did."

Holmes added the penalty goal before converting a late barge-over from Taumalolo that sent the game into extra-time.

Cronulla halfback Nicho Hynes, who converted all five tries, had a field goal charged down in extra-time before Holmes notched his golden point to give the Cowboys a week off and an historic finals game in Townsville.

© AAP 2022