King Charles III and Prince William may not agree on everything when it comes to Prince Harry, but according to a new PEOPLE report, there is one point on which the King and his heir are completely united — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are not going to represent the Royal Family. Not now. Not ever.

It is a remarkably clear line to draw, particularly now that Harry and Meghan have returned to Britain with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet and are once again living much closer to the family they stepped away from in 2020.

Talking to the publication royal author Russell Myers stated, “The King and William are completely united on the Sussexes not representing the royal family.”

Myers described them as “completely in sync” on the issue, making clear that whatever differences may exist between father and son over Harry personally, their position regarding the Sussexes’ official role is aligned.

The Mail had sources that echoed the same sentiment: the heir and the king see eye to eye on this thorny matter.And in many ways, the message is not particularly surprising.

Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals in 2020 and subsequently built their lives in California, while continuing to remain highly visible through interviews, documentaries, charitable work and public appearances. Their return to the UK has inevitably reopened questions about whether their relationship with the Royal Family could eventually change, particularly as Harry has sought to repair his relationship with his father.

But the latest report and King Charles’ heavy worded letter confirm that repairing a family relationship and restoring a royal role are two very different things.

King Charles has already made that distinction unmistakable. On Sept. 7, a letter issued on his behalf reiterated that Harry and Meghan remain nonworking royals, following what Buckingham Palace described as “a number of requests” for clarification after their return to Britain.

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That decision effectively establishes the framework for Harry and Meghan’s new life in the UK. They can have a relationship with members of the Royal Family who wish to embrace their return. But that does not mean they are returning to official royal duties.

And Prince William appears to be drawing an even firmer personal boundary. According to Myers, “William’s view is clear” that whatever relationship King Charles chooses to have with Harry or the Sussex family is ultimately the King’s decision.

That is significant because it separates William’s relationship with his brother from his father’s relationship with Harry. Charles has spoken with Harry since the Sussexes returned to Britain, and the two have maintained some contact, but William and Harry remain estranged, with no direct communication reported between them.

For Harry and Meghan, the reality is therefore becoming increasingly difficult to misunderstand. Their return to Britain has put them physically closer to the Royal Family, but proximity has not translated into a return to royal duties, and the latest reporting suggests that both the King and the future King are firmly aligned on that point.

There is also an important distinction between being famous and being an official representative of the monarchy. Sources close to Harry and Meghan have recently pushed back against the description of the couple as simply “private citizens,” arguing that they remain internationally recognizable public figures whose lives continue to attract enormous attention.

That disagreement may continue, but the position coming from the palace side is becoming clearer. Harry may be rebuilding his relationship with his father, and the Sussex family may be establishing a new base in Britain, but according to PEOPLE’s reporting, neither King Charles nor Prince William appears to see that as a pathway back into official royal life.

For all the emotion surrounding Harry’s return, that may be the most important message of all: the family relationship and the royal institution are being treated as two separate things.