As well as being the head of the Royal Family for more than seven decades, Queen Elizabeth II was an important figure in several other countries as the head of the Commonwealth. Formerly known as the British Commonwealth, the Commonwealth is a voluntary association of countries around the world that were once part of the British Empire.
It is home to 2.5 billion people and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Some 32 members are small states, including many island nations.
Following a vote in 2018, Charles III is the current head of the Commonwealth. He is King of 14 member states, while 36 other members are republics and five have different monarchs.
