NEED TO KNOW
- Robert Irwin’s close bond with niece Grace Warrior has sparked his dreams of becoming a dad.
- Friends say the 22-year-old would prioritise family life over fame in the future.
- He has called being an uncle “the best job I’ve ever had”.
- Insiders claim he hopes to find the right partner and have kids one day.
- Mum Terri is said to be protective when it comes to his dating life.
When Grace Warrior entered the world in March 2021, it wasn’t just her mum and dad, Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell, whose lives changed forever. Her arrival sparked something incredible in her uncle Robert Irwin, too, awakening a nurturing urge to protect his growing family.
“She’ll be running the zoo in no time,” he posted online, marking her arrival.
“This little one picked the two best parents in the entire world.”
With Grace turning five next month, the self-appointed “funcle” – who is responsible for Grace’s vast empire of plush toys – can’t wait to celebrate her special day, as friends reveal he has deep hopes to start a family of his own in the future.
“Robert’s desperate to bring more Graces into the world,” a family pal tells New Idea.
“You can’t underestimate what her arrival did to him. Something in him ‘clicked’, having that responsibility, and as her uncle, he takes his role in her life very seriously. He worships the ground she walks on.”
The 22-year-old Dancing with the Stars champ has called being an uncle “the best job I’ve ever had,” adding, “It’s incredible. I feel so lucky to have Grace in my life.”
Friends say Robert’s just like his mum and sister and doesn’t want to put his career ahead of his dreams of being a dad.
“He would quit Hollywood tomorrow if it meant starting a family,” adds the pal. “But he knows he’s got to find the right lady first, and it’s overwhelming, especially being in the public eye.
“All the noise and speculation he went through with his first girlfriend [Rorie Buckey], especially online, scared them both away from the relationship.”
Our source adds, “He’s not giving up, and now he’s got opportunities opening up in LA, he’s hoping he might ‘do a Bindi’ and bring home another American!”
However, another source tells New Idea that Robert’s mum, Terri, is “watching him like a hawk”, especially when it comes to dating.
“He’s so vulnerable and inexperienced, so he could easily fall for the wrong person,” adds the source.
“Terri’s not going to let that happen. She knows Robert wears his heart on his sleeve, and he dreams not of red carpets and spotlights, but of showing his own kid how to tackle a croc in the outback.”
“He loves the stable, loving family life Bindi and Chandler have built for their daughter, and he wants that for himself.”
The source adds, “You can tell he’ll be a hands-on dad – there are countless clips of him teaching Grace to surf and playing dress-ups. He can’t wait to have kids of his own one day.”
Why Robert Irwin is back in the USA – for now
After winning the US version of DWTS last year, Robert is very in demand for TV and film jobs there.
“He recently attended the Super Bowl in California, but that trip wasn’t just leisure,” our source shares. “He was definitely taking some work meetings too.”
But, our source adds, he’s determined to always “juggle fame with family life – now and in the future.”
