Prince William and Princess Kate were quick to share their pride for close friend Robert Irwin after the wildlife conservationist triumphed in this year's Dancing with the Stars.
Robert, 21, was named as the champion of the American show's 34th season on 25 November. The star and his professional partner, Witney Carson, triumphed over social media star Alix Earle, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, TV personality Dylan Efron and actress Elaine Hendrix in a tense final.
After the news was confirmed, William and Kate were among the people who took to the comments to praise the star. A comment left by their social media account read: "Congratulations Robert and Witney!" alongside a sparkle and disco ball emoji.
Robert managed to clinch the win despite having a rib injury. Witney said in a video ahead of the final: "Robert's ribs have been killing him, and more will be revealed on Tuesday, and you guys can get a better idea of what we've been dealing with all week on Tuesday."
William had made a surprise cameo earlier in the series. Robert had been scheduled to appear at the royal's Earthshot Prize, which was held in Rio de Janeiro, but due to his commitments to the competition, he was unable to appear. The Earthshot Prize is an initiative launched by the Prince of Wales, with a £1 million grant awarded to plans that aim to protect the Earth and its environment.
Appearing on Zoom, William cheered on Robert, telling the star: "Whilst your twinkle toes are going off elsewhere, I need you down here. You guys have gotten a seriously good chance of winning it, so just the best of luck with the show."
Friendship with William
Due to their shared interest in protecting the environment, William and Robert have grown close over the past few years.
Speaking to Us Weekly back in June about their friendship, Robert shared: "I think Prince William has been such an amazing person to work with, and there is such an incredible synergy between what he does and who he is and who we are."
The star continued: "It's all about conservation. I think it's wonderful that someone so influential – that has such a fantastic platform – is using that to really better our environment. He is a true environmental hero, and so working with him has been a great privilege."
At last year's Earthshot Prize, which was held in South Africa, William and Robert walked around Signal Hill as they discussed biodiversity and met with park rangers. The meeting was the first time that the pair have crossed paths, although their friendship is still going strong.
Speaking about the prestigious award in a 2024 statement, Robert shared that it acts as a "beacon of hope for all of us who care about the environment and about our ability to ensure a liveable future for ourselves and future generations."
"Healthy oceans, ecosystems, and species equal a healthy planet, and the Earthshot Prize recognises the importance of investing in and helping grow solutions that protect these critical resources," he added.