The Future of King Charles' Reign Over Commonwealth Countries in Question.
As King Charles III prepares for his coronation, fewer countries share him as head of state than during Queen Elizabeth II's ceremony in 1953. Several Commonwealth realms are reconsidering their relationships with the crown, with Barbados being the latest to become a republic. Despite this, the Commonwealth of Nations, a group of 56 countries with historic ties to Britain, which the king symbolically heads, continues to expand its membership.