Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte have helped wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin name Australia Zoo's newest kangaroo. Robert, the son of the late Steve Irwin, invited the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children to the zoo as he introduced its new eastern grey kangaroo joey. To help name the joey, Robert enlisted the assistance of the young royals, who opted for a name with a sweet nod to Wales. The royals decided on the name Cwtch, pronounced 'kutch', which is a Welsh word meaning cuddle, a fitting name for such an affectionate animal.
Robert expressed his delight: 'I absolutely love the name Cwtch. It couldn't be more perfect for this little joey. I am so thankful to have received special assistance from Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis with the naming. Cwtch is already stealing hearts, and I hope she inspires people to fall in love with wildlife and want to help protect it.'
Robert, who manages Australia Zoo in Queensland, is an ambassador for Prince William's Earthshot Prize, and the pair have appeared to grow close over the years. They spent time together in South Africa in 2024, and last year, William gave Robert the shock of his life when he called him up for a video chat to wish him luck on Dancing with the Stars. William also paid tribute to his late father Steve Irwin at an annual namesake gala in Brisbane last November to raise funds to continue the work of the wildlife conservationist.
Steve died on September 4, 2006, at the age of 44 after being pierced in the chest by a stingray while filming a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef. The Prince of Wales recorded a message to welcome guests to the event that would 'honour the life and legacy of a true wildlife warrior, Steve Irwin'. 'Steve Irwin was dedicated to conservation, he advocated for wildlife and wild places across the globe, dreamed of clean air, abundant healthy oceans and a stable climate for future generations,' the royal said.
William went on to praise Steve's family, who continue his work, and said he was 'delighted' that Robert Irwin is an ambassador for the Earthshot Prize, an organisation set up by the prince to 'spotlight and champion the most innovative solutions' to climate change. He even made a nod to Robert's Dancing with the Stars win, a decade after his older sister Bindi won the same title. William said: 'We couldn't have asked for a more passionate and committed ambassador in Robert, and he's not a bad dancer either. That clearly runs in the family too.'
The Prince and Princess of Wales also shared a message after his win. 'Congratulations Robert and Witney!' a comment from the couple's account read, followed by a disco ball emoji. It appears the Prince and Robert have grown close in recent times, having spent a day together in South Africa last year. William, who was in the country for a four-day visit centred around the Earthshot Prize awards, traversed a rocky climb as he walked up Signal Hill with Robert. Irwin later tweeted a video of him with William, in which he asked the prince what his 'favourite African animal' was. William replied: 'Oh, it's a tough question, it's a really tough question. My children ask me this regularly. I think I'm going to have to say the cheetah. Fantastic animal.' Irwin then said his favourite was the chameleon.
Speaking afterwards, Irwin said of his meeting with the prince: 'You can instantly tell that passion the rangers and volunteers have here on the ground here at Signal Hill rubs off on everyone. You just can't help but fall in love with this place. Prince William, myself and everyone here have certainly fallen in love with Cape Town. It's a beautiful location and the conservation work is being done here, it just fills my heart with hope.'
