Prince William salutes Steve Irwin, warns planet faces even greater danger

Prince William has honoured the late 'wildlife warrior' while urging urgent action on climate change at the annual Steve Irwin Gala in Brisbane. 

The event, which raises funds to continue Irwin’s conservation work, comes nearly two decades after the Crocodile Hunter tragically died in 2006 at age 44 from a stingray injury.

In a pre-recorded message, the Prince of Wales hailed Steve’s lifelong mission to protect wildlife and warned of the mounting environmental crisis. 

“Today, over 8 billion people share Earth with a vast array of fauna, flora, and precious ecosystems,” William said. 

“We are approaching a defining moment — rising temperatures, species facing extinction, dwindling water, and mounting waste threaten to reshape life on our planet unless we act collectively now.”

He also praised his family, spotlighting Robert Irwin as a dedicated ambassador for the Earthshot Prize, the royal’s global environmental initiative. 

“And he’s not a bad dancer either,” cheekily nodding to Robert’s recent Dancing with the Stars victory, a decade after his sister Bindi’s win.

The gala message comes after William and Robert spent time together in South Africa last year, trekking Signal Hill while attending the Earthshot Prize awards. 

William’s tribute celebrated both Steve’s enduring legacy and the next generation carrying the Crocodile Hunter’s conservation mission forward.