Commonwealths and their relationship to the Crown of England

 Yes, Commonwealth states are related to the Crown, though the relationship varies depending on which "commonwealth" is being discussed. The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of 56 independent countries, many of which were formerly part of the British Empire, with the British monarch as its symbolic head. In contrast, the four U.S. states that are legally "commonwealths" have a history rooted in anti-monarchial sentiment, emphasizing a government based on the will of the people, and have no relationship to the British Crown. 

Commonwealth of Nations

• Origin: It originated from the former British Empire, with member states previously linked by common allegiance to the British Crown.
• Current relationship: Today, it is a voluntary association of sovereign states that maintain ties of friendship and cooperation.
• Head of State: The British monarch, King Charles III, is the symbolic head of the Commonwealth of Nations, but they are only the monarch and head of state in the 15 "Commonwealth realms" within the association, which include countries like Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The other member states are republics with their own heads of state. 

U.S. states called "commonwealths" 

• Origin: The term "commonwealth" in the U.S. was chosen by states like Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia to emphasize their status as a representative democracy founded on the will of the people.
• Current relationship: These states are legally designated as commonwealths, but this title carries no functional or legal difference from any other U.S. state.
• Relationship to the Crown: Their history reflects a conscious rejection of the monarchical system, and they have no relationship with the British Crown. 

Other meanings of "commonwealth"

• The term can also refer to a nation, state, or political unit that is "founded on law and united by compact or tacit agreement of the people for the common good," according to Merriam-Webster.
• Two U.S. territories, Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, are also classified as commonwealths and are voluntarily united with the United States, but are not independent countries.