Peter Cosgrove has been sworn in as Australia’s 26th governor-general.

Former Defence Force chief General Cosgrove, who will be Australia’s first knight under the revived honours system, received a general salute  from a military guard of honour outside Parliament House in Canberra before heading to the Senate for the official ceremony.

He succeeds Dame Quentin Bryce, who departed Yarralumla this week after more than five years in the job.

Hours of pomp and ceremony began with Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his wife Margie greeting the governor-general designate and his wife Lynne Cosgrove on Parliament’s Great Veranda.

The retired General, who is no stranger to military formalities, received a general salute from a guard of honour and was escorted through the marble foyer and into the president of the Senate’s private suite.

General Cosgrove took his oaths in the Senate chamber before Chief Justice Robert French.

Now proclaimed as the Queen’s official representative in Australia, the newly sworn in governor-general will make an address.

Ministers, parliamentary secretaries, MPs and their spouses and partners, along with diplomats from across the world, will be among the guests watching the swearing in first hand and attending the official reception in federal parliament’s Great Hall afterwards.

After he gives a speech there will be a 21-gun salute and a parliamentary reception.

The retired defence chief will become Sir Peter, after Prime Minister Tony Abbott restored knights and dames to the Australian honour system earlier this week.

MORE TO COME.