Prince William, the future King of England, made a surprising appearance on the reality competition show Dancing With The Stars, delighting audiences with a special wish for one of the contestants.
The older son of King Charles showed up on a video call to support the son of another famous father. Robert Irwin, the son of late legendary nature enthusiast Steve Irwin, is competing on the show along with his partner Whitney Carson. Robert was supposed to join the Royal in Rio De Janeiro in Brazil for the Earthshot Prize ceremony, however, he could not go as his stint on Dancing With The Stars continues.
The Prince of Wales, 43, popped up on screen to the surprise of Irwin and to the delight of fans. Laughingly referring to Robert Irwin as Tinkle Toes, William went on to say that he missed the conservationist. “You guys have got a serious chance of winning,” the heir to the British throne told the pair before wishing them luck. He also told Robert, “I need you down here.”
The exchange left Whitney Carson shocked. After hanging up she told a camera, “I can’t believe he said my name.”
Robert Irwin, 21, is an ambassador for the Earthshot Prize, a global environmental award founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation. The organisation finds and funds efforts to resolve the world’s greatest conservation and environmental challenges.
This is not the Prince’s first public appearance to support Irwin. In June this year, he sent a voice note to a British radio show which was talking to Irwin. “I know you have got the fantastic Robert Irwin on your show,” he said in the voice note, adding that the young conservationist was a “brilliant” ambassador for the Earthshot Prize.
Irwin has become a surprise contender for the top spot on the famous dancing competition, a fan favourite who was not supposed to last past the first round but is now well on his way to the end. After William’s call, Robert and Whitney danced the fox trot to ‘Footprints in the Sand’ by Leona Lewis. The young naturalist then dedicated his performance to his late father Steve Irwin.
The senior Irwin became one of the most famous conservationists in the world in the early 2000s. He was an Australian zookeeper, environmentalist and wildlife educator. Popularly known as ‘The Crocodile Hunter’s, Steve became known for risky endeavours during filming, handling unruly crocs, venomous snakes and deadly creatures with a smile and a laugh. He died unexpectedly in 2006, at the peak of his career, when during a dive in Queensland, a sting ray injury pierced his heart, killing him in a few short moments while he filmed an underwater documentary.