Robert Irwin and Prince William’s friendship might seem surprising to some, but not to them.
The pair, who have banded together for environmental projects in recent years, reunited in spirit this week during the current season of Dancing with the Stars USA.
The Prince shared a special video message to Robert, an Earthshot Prize ambassador and competing on Dancing with the Stars USA. The Prince of Wales is the initiative’s founder and President, and has been in Brazil to reveal the winner.
“We’re missing you, Robert,” he said in a video message, which was shared on this week’s episode of DWTS. “Whilst your twinkle toes are going off elsewhere, I need you down here.”
William then addressed his dance partner, Witney Carson, saying, “You need to get him in as much glitter as you can”.
In another touching gesture, Robert also dedicated the routine to his father, Steve Irwin.
Robert paid a special nod to his sister, Bindi, by choosing to dance to Footprints In The Sand. She performed the same song when she competed on the show in 2015.
At the end of the routine, Bindi joined him on the stage in a surprising moment, while the three of them looked at projections of childhood memories and photos with their father.
And his hard work paid off, because he got the first 40 out of 40 for the season!
A long-standing friendship
This isn’t the first time William and Robert have supported, and praised one another.
Robert Irwin previously described Prince William as a “great guy” in a wide-ranging interview with US Weekly.
Reflecting upon their mutual passion for conservation, the wildlife warrior said that it had been “amazing” to work alongside the future King as part of his Earthshot Prize, of which Robert became an ambassador for in 2024.
“It’s all about conservation. It’s wonderful that someone is so influential – that has such a fantastic platform – is using that to really better our environment,” he continued, going on to describe the Prince of Wales as a “true environmental hero.”
The update comes several months after Robert spoke exclusively with New Idea on the red carpet of the TikTok Awards on November 27, 2024, where he reflected upon the time he and Prince William spent together in Cape Town, South Africa, for The Earthshot Prize Ceremony earlier that same month.
“He is such a committed human being when it comes to conservation; he just gives it his all, and he really is just making a massive difference when it comes to the future of the planet,” Rob told us at the time.
“In a word, it was inspiring,” he added of the awards.
At the 2024 Earthshot Prize, which was held on November 6, the unlikely duo celebrated and acknowledged those working towards helping the planet’s biggest environmental challenges.
At the event, Robert and William were seen smiling and laughing with each other, bonding over their shared passion.
While in South Africa, the two even made a hilarious video together posted on Robert’s Instagram page where they discussed their favourite African animals (a cheetah for William and a chameleon for Rob), further demonstrating their newly found friendship.
The awards, which were founded in 2020 by William’s Royal Foundation charity, award five category winners one million pounds in funding to help scale up their ideas to help both the planet and those who reside on it.
While the wildlife warrior, who is the son of the late ‘Crocodile Hunter’, was a presenter at the 2023 event in Singapore, he was given the honour of becoming an inaugural Global Ambassador for the Earthshot Prize in 2024 alongside Hollywood actor Nomzamo Mbatha.
“Alongside my family, I have dedicated my life to conservation. I am beyond proud to be an Earthshot Global Ambassador and to help progress its urgent and ambitious approach to finding the most innovative solutions to the world’s biggest environmental challenges,” the 20-year-old shared in a statement when the news was first announced.
“The Earthshot Prize is one of my favourite moments to celebrate these innovations every year, and I am very excited to help bring this year’s Earthshot Week to life in Cape Town.”
In 2023, Robert attended the event with his then-girlfriend Rorie Buckey, the niece of the late Australian actor Heath Ledger.
The duo didn’t just walk the green carpet, with Robert also photographed with the future King shaking hands and even sharing a laugh.
In November 2023, Robert spoke with PEOPLE about Prince William, describing the royal as “a real beacon to everyone in the conservation field.”
“It’s hard to put into words just how massive Earthshot is for wildlife conservation, for climate action, for the world. For Prince William, who has such a great platform, to lend his voice, his resources to creating positive change is such a refreshing, wonderful thing to see. I applaud what he is doing,” Robert told the publication at the time.
With Robert’s dedication to wildlife conservation, it’s only right that he is an advocate and ambassador for Earthshot.
“I have dedicated my life to wildlife conservation. I share that with Prince William, and I admire him greatly. He is certainly someone I look up t,o and I hope I can create the same sort of change that he does. He is a real beacon to everyone in the conservation field,” he also shared.
We hope to see this iconic duo together again in the future!
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