Prince Williams Cheeky Warning to Robert Irwin: Watch Your Back for Tarantulas and Other Surprises

Prince William, the heir to the British throne, surprised environmentalist Robert Irwin during his appearance on U.K. radio station Radio 2 on Wednesday, June 24. The 43-year-old prince sent a voice note message to the 21-year-old Irwin, who is an ambassador for his Earthshot Prize, warning the radio host Scott Mills that Irwin was likely to pull "random terrifying animals and creatures" from his pockets at any time.

In his message, William said, "Good morning, Scott, or should I say G’day, Scott? I know you've got the fantastic Robert Irwin on the show this morning, a brilliant ambassador for the Earthshot Prize. Sorry I can't be with you both this morning, hoping to catch up with you soon." He then invited both Irwin and Mills to the next Earthshot Prize event, which is set to take place in Brazil in November.

The Prince of Wales concluded his message by warning Mills that Irwin "likes to pull random terrifying animals and creatures out of his pockets while he's on anyone's show and talking to them." He added with a laugh, "Watch your back at all times so that a tarantula or something doesn't suddenly pop onto your desk."

During his appearance on Radio 2, Irwin had been discussing his role as ambassador for the Earthshot prize and sharing fun facts such as how many teeth tigers have and how many elephants there are in the wild. He had previously joined Prince William for the last Earthshot awards evening in Cape Town, South Africa, in November 2024.

Irwin has expressed his admiration for Prince William's efforts in conservation and has called him a "real beacon to everyone in the conservation field." He said, "It’s hard to put into words just how massive Earthshot is for wildlife conservation, for climate action, for the world. For Prince William, who has such a great platform, to lend his voice, his resources into creating positive change is such a refreshing, wonderful thing to see. I applaud what he is doing."

The next Earthshot Awards are set to take place in Brazil in November, and it will be an event that Irwin and Prince William will both be looking forward to attending. In the meantime, Prince William's warning about Irwin's pocketful of surprises will no doubt be a topic of conversation among fans and followers of both men.