The current Commonwealth of Nations was formally constituted by the
London Declaration in 1949, which modernised the community and established the member states as
"free and equal".[8] It continues to be known colloquially as the
British Commonwealth.
[9]
The
Head of the Commonwealth is
Charles III. He is king of 15 member states, known as the
Commonwealth realms, whilst 36 other members are
republics, and five others have different monarchs.
Although he became head upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, the position is not technically hereditary.
[10]
Member states have no legal obligations to one another, though some have institutional links to other Commonwealth nations.
Citizenship of a Commonwealth country affords benefits in some member countries, particularly in the
United Kingdom, and Commonwealth countries are represented to one another by
high commissions rather than embassies. The
Commonwealth Charter defines their shared values of
democracy,
human rights and the
rule of law,
[11] as promoted by the quadrennial
Commonwealth Games.
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