(not the commonwealth of Massachusetts but the collection of nations representing a third of the population of the planet) is a voluntary association of 56 countries of which 15 have Charles III as king, 36 are republics and 5 have kings of their own.
The Commonwealth includes Britain, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Canada and Australia, and many smaller countries. Most but not all were once in the British Empire. They describe themselves as "free and equal". Countries aren't trapped in it like they are in the EU. They can join or leave if they wish. The unifying characteristic of the group is their commitment to democracy, the rule of law and basic human rights, alongside mushy but important values such as "friendship, loyalty, and the desire for freedom and peace."
To call the Commonwealth Empire 2.0 is ridiculous. As if Britain can tell India or Canada how to behave!!! As if a body dominated by people of many ethnicities is a further expression of "the white man' burden." It's absurd and condescending. It was actually proposed by a South African as a means of maintaining friendly relations as the British empire unwound. Some former colonies joined. Others chose not to. But the Commonwealth of Nations now also includes countries that were never part of the empire such as its most recent member, Gabon.
The world benefits from the existence of these sorts of non-exclusive arrangements, in which people talk to one another and build bridges. Other ones such as the G7 and G20 exclude less wealthy countries. The UN includes everyone but, from a practical perspective, has few shared values and is dominated by the world's superpowers. The Commonwealth gives a voice to countries as small as the Solomon Islands. What is wrong with that?
What an opportunity Harry missed by walking away from the Commonwealth with his American wife. He's too thick to see value where there is so much potential on offer. He might have contributed to it. He chose to abandon it and to participate in a show that rubbished and damaged it.
What does he do that contributes anything on the scale that the Commonwealth offers? Self-righteousness is not usually thought of as a virtue. The promotion of victimhood and the exportation of the American racism narrative is divisive and unhelpful. I'd take the constructive efforts of the Commonwealth over 100 whining dukes and duchesses.
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