Robert Irwin’s Cute Snap With Niece, 2, Proves He’s Settling Into ‘Uncle Life’

May 10, 2023 by apost team

Although it has been years since renowned Australian television personality and wildlife educator Steve Irwin passed in 2006, his family – wife Terri Irwin and children Bindi Irwin and Robert Irwin – have kept his legacy alive and are sure to remember him as they pass every major milestone of their lives. Alongside cherishing past memories with their father and sharing them with the world, they are all continuing his legacy of being a doting family man and are staying close to one another – including toward a sweet new member they’ve welcomed into the family.

Steve rose to fame with the show “The Crocodile Hunter” in 1996. His enthusiastic and energetic manner won him a legion of fans, and viewers returned episode after episode to catch up with his lively and animated presenting style. Consistently clad in his signature khakis, the show made Steve a household name and introduced his catchphrase “Crikey!” to the wider world. 

Steve also picked up fans in the U.S. through his frequent appearances on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.” He was also a committed conservationist, launching the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation, International Crocodile Rescue, the Lyn Irwin Memorial Fund and the Iron Bark Station Wildlife Rehabilitation Facility.

Steve and Terri married in 1992 and welcomed Bindi in 1998 and Robert in 2003. But tragedy struck in 2006: while filming an episode for “Ocean's Deadliest” in the Great Barrier Reef, Steve was stabbed in the heart by a short-tail stingray barb. His death shocked fans who had watched Steve put himself in challenging situations for years in order to create awareness of the natural world.

Read on to find out how Robert is carrying on his father’s legacy of being a family man and the playful things he gets up to with his niece.

Robert has followed in the footsteps of his nature-loving father, Steve, by donning the signature khakis and making appearances on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” He also lends his famous last name to shows, including “Crikey! It’s The Irwins” with his mother, Terri and sister Bindi, and “Ten Deadliest Snakes.” A staple at Australia Zoo, Robert is also an avid photographer, lending his skills to conservation campaigns and other channels to raise funds and awareness. His efforts have taken him across the world for photography expeditions and led him to meet King Charles III to discuss wildlife habitat conservation.

Meanwhile, on March 25, 2020, his sister Bindi married former professional wakeboarder Chandler Powell and, in keeping with the family's love for animals, the pair held their secret wedding in the gardens of Australia Zoo in Queensland. The ceremony even included a koala — not to mention a beautiful floral arrangement.

Bindi and Chandler welcomed their first child Grace Warrior Powell on March 25, 2021. Since then, the doting mom has frequently updated her fans on her daughter’s milestones on social media. And she’s not the only one. Just like his father, Robert is close to everyone in his family, including Grace. Since welcoming her into the family, Robert has settled into the role of the cool uncle with ease. 

Robert often shares posts of himself spending time with little Grace, whether at the beach, where he remarked it was “wonderful to watch her grow,” or in the snow, where he called her “the best niece in the world!” It’s clear Robert has a soft spot for the little tot, and it’s not hard to see why.

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Robert took to Instagram again on May 5, 2023, to share a cute moment between him and Grace. The mirror selfie showed Grace sitting atop Robert’s shoulders as both were smiling from cheek to cheek. Robert captioned the adorable snap, “Uncle life 😁” The photo was so charming even Bindi had to chime in and said, “The best!!”

Now, it appears even the 2-year-old Grace may have inherited a love for nature and wildlife, according to her mom. Bindi told People during a gala dinner honoring her late father in Beverly Hills on May 4, 2023, that it’s been “remarkable to see how passionate (Grace) is about the natural world.”

“She just loves wildlife, and she gets so excited to learn more. She knows so many animal names. It is unreal. I mean, I guess it runs in the family,” Bindi gushed.

She added Grace is currently going through a dinosaur phase and that she “just talks about all these different dinosaur names that we don't know how she knows them all.”

The proud mom said she’s been thrilled to watch her daughter develop the kind of respect and awe for the natural world the way everyone in her family has.

“I see in her so much love and kindness and empathy. She's only 2, but ... you know, she's the one to crouch down and wave high to the ants. … The other day we rescued a bee. It had fallen in a little puddle, and she was so intent that we had to rescue this bee. She's been talking about it for a week. It's really cute."

What do you think about Robert and Grace’s adorable uncle-niece relationship? Do you think Grace will grow up to be a lot like her parents and family? Let us know and pass this along to friends and family, too.