Former federal Labor leader and US ambassador Kim Beazley has been announced as the 33rd governor of Western Australia.

Mr Beazley will replace Kerry Sanderson, who became Governor in late 2014 and is preparing to step down from the position.

Describing him as "one of WA's most respected citizens", Premier Mark McGowan said Mr Beazley had been appointed following the Queen's approval of his recommendation.

He will be sworn in during a ceremony on May 1 and will spend four years in the role.

Mr Beazley served two terms as federal opposition leader. ( AAP: Alan Porritt )

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was among those to congratulate Mr Beazley on his appointment, calling it a "great choice".

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Huge responsibility, no power

Mr Beazley said it was an enormous privilege to be able to serve the people of WA.

"It's daunting, it's overwhelming, which is I suppose an odd thing to say for someone who has been in public life for as long as I have," he said.

"But I am finding this at least as heavy as any of the challenges that I've faced to this point.

"I am looking forward to getting to understand the role of governor over the course of the next few months.

"If I do it half as well as the incumbent, then I will do a pretty good job."

Mr Beazley was recommended as the next governor of WA by Premier Mark McGowan. ( ABC News: Hugh Sando )

Mr Beazley said a governor had immense responsibilities and no power.

"That's going to be part of the challenge. You're in a situation where you can give advice to a government, you can for one expression warn a government, [but] everything you do in that regard is done in private," he said.

A governor, a republican and a democrat

Mr Beazley — a noted republican and a member of the Australian Republican Movement's advisory panel — said he would be doing "a lot of resigning" over the next few weeks.

Mr Beazley retired from Parliament at the 2007 federal election. ( AAP: Mark Graham )

"Completely, from anything associated with the political process. You have to be, as governor of the state, a non-partisan figure," he said.

"I am not unaware of what is required by that.

"You don't lose your political convictions when you become a governor — whatever those political convictions are — but you have to set them to one side."

Mr Beazley said the Australian people had decided twice to leave the constitutional monarchy at the centre of Australia's political system, and that left an important role for the governor.

"I'm not only a republican, I'm also a democrat," he said.

"I respect the democratic processes which leave us in this situation, and respect the democratic processes which leave at the heart of the legislative system the role of governor."

'A great advocate for our state': McGowan

Mr McGowan said while he had been friends with Mr Beazley for 24 years, his recommendation was based "very much on merit".

Mr McGowan says Mr Beazley is one of WA's most respected citizens. ( ABC News: David Weber )

"[He is] a great West Australian, a great advocate for our state, someone respected across the political divide, someone that can represent our state overseas … someone that can represent us interstate and be an advocate for WA in a unique way," the WA Premier said.

"Fulfilling the role of governor I'm sure he'll do very well."

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten joined the Prime Minister and others across from both sides of politics in welcoming the appointment.

"Kim is a proud West Australian and a much-loved and greatly admired Australian, a person of profound intellect, boundless good-humour and tremendous decency," he said.

"Kim earned the respect and affection of colleagues and opponents alike."

From elections to spills and Obama

Mr Beazley wrapped up a five-year stint as US ambassador in January 2016 after being appointed to the role by the Rudd government.

Mr Beazley took over as US ambassador in 2010, exchanging credentials with Barack Obama while recovering from knee surgery. ( AAP: Official White House Photo )

He was deputy prime minister under Paul Keating from 1995-1996 before going on to serve two terms as federal opposition leader, from 1996-2001 and 2005-2006.

Labor lost the 1998 and 2001 elections under Mr Beazley, while his second tenure ended when he was toppled by Kevin Rudd in a Labor leadership spill.

Mr Beazley entered Federal Parliament in 1980 and represented the electorates of Swan and Brand before retiring as an MP in 2007.