Sources close to the family say William is ‘over all the drama,’ and unlike Charles, he has no interest in finding a way forward.

Over the last six years, speculation about whether the Sussexes might one day return to royal life has come in waves—each report more definitive than the last, and each one eventually overtaken by events. Now, for the first time, there is something closer to a clear answer. The rift between Prince ʜᴀʀʀʏ and the royal family shows no signs of resolution—and those close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex say they aren’t expecting one anytime soon.

“It remains very emotional,” a source told PEOPLE. “ʜᴀʀʀʏ and ᴍᴇɢʜᴀɴ are both realistic. They’re not approaching it with the expectation of a quick resolution. It’s about taking small, manageable steps and seeing where things land. This remains very important to ʜᴀʀʀʏ, with ᴍᴇɢʜᴀɴ supportive.”

ʜᴀʀʀʏ and his father, King Charles, 77, have been in more regular contact in recent months, though the two have not been in the same room since last September. Charles’s ongoing state visit to the United States has not changed that—protocol and scheduling leave little room for a private reunion, and the Duke, 41, has not sought one. The relationship with his brother, Prince William, 43, remains more difficult. “William is over all the drama,” royal author Robert Jobson told the outlet. “He doesn’t need it, and he doesn’t want it. He’s too busy and focused on his own family.” Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith, author of the Royals Extra Substack, said something similar, with “They’re at a standoff.”

The Sussexes’ continued public profile has done little to ease tensions. Their recent four-day tour of Australia—which included hospital visits and ceremonial engagements—drew comparisons to their time as working royals and raised eyebrows in palace circles. “It won’t help ʜᴀʀʀʏ’s case or promote good relations,” says Ailsa Anderson, who served as press secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth.

Those close to the couple push back. “They’re not reliant on ʜᴀʀʀʏ’s father or taxpayer-funded money,” says an insider. “They pay their own bills and make their own money while continuing to support a lot of causes that might otherwise go unseen. It enables them to do what they love.” William, however, is not persuaded. Their approach to public life remains “non-negotiable” for the future King, Anderson says. “He wouldn’t countenance any acceptance of it.”

ʜᴀʀʀʏ has been open about his own sense of purpose. Speaking in Ukraine earlier this month, he rejected the idea that stepping back meant stepping away. “I will always be part of the royal family,” he said. “I am here working, doing the things I was born to do.” At the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne, he reflected on his earlier resistance to royal life. “I was like, ‘I don’t want this job. I don’t want this role—wherever this is headed, I don’t like it,’” he said. “It killed my mom, and I was very much against it.” His perspective, though, seemed to have shifted over time. “I realized… how would somebody else make the most of this platform? And what would my mom want me to do?”

ᴍᴇɢʜᴀɴ has remained closely aligned with ʜᴀʀʀʏ through it all. “ᴍᴇɢʜᴀɴ lets him lead on all royal matters,” a friend tells PEOPLE. “But it would never put them at odds—they’re on the same team.” At home in Montecito, the couple’s focus is their family. Days are built around school schedules, and Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, remain the priority. “Archie and Lilibet are their life,” says a staffer who has worked with the couple since their early days in California. “There’s a real warmth and a sense of normalcy.”