Robert Irwin follows in his dad’s footsteps as he locks horns with royalty at 2023 Earthshot Prize Awards

Australian conservationist and reality TV star, Robert Irwin, was looking unusually dapper as he and partner, Rorie Buckey, graced the “green carpet” at this year’s Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in Singapore.

The Earthshot Prize is a global environmental award initiative launched in October 2020 by William, the Prince of Wales, and The Royal Foundation.

Its primary goal is to incentivize and fund innovative solutions to some of the most pressing environmental challenges facing the planet over the next decade.

The name “Earthshot” is inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s Moonshot, which aimed to put a man on the moon in the 1960s.

The star-studded awards ceremony took place on Tuesday, November 7, and was attended by numerous A-listers including Cate Blanchett and One Republic.

Billionaire Jack Ma, Queen Rania of Jordan, Stella McCartney and former NBA star Yao Ming were on the council that selected the 15 finalists in categories from climate change to nature protection.

Irwin, who attended the ceremony as an awards presenter described the event as an “unforgettable night” and took to X (formerly Twitter) to thank the Prince of Wales for the groundbreaking initiative.

A real honour to speak with His Royal Highness Prince William about environmental preservation and the @EarthshotPrize alongside my fellow presenters at last night’s Earthshot Prize 2023 Awards. I’m proud to be an advocate for this incredible global initiative that sparks real… pic.twitter.com/doPl6rn4oe

— Robert Irwin (@RobertIrwin) November 8, 2023

His fans and followers were quick to respond, many praising the nineteen year old for following in his famous father, Steve Irwin’s, footsteps and making him proud.

“Robert Irwin just became a man. The Legend himself, his father Steve, would be a very proud dad to see what a passionate and happy young man his son has become. Actually, I believe he is very proud.”

“Great to see you there. You are a credit to your family and your profession! Love that you are so enthusiastic about nature and our environment. And absolutely phenomenal as a presenter. Keep up the brilliant work!”

“Robert you too are as inspiring as your Dad. You are a credit to him and your Mum. Something Prince William obviously sees in you too. Congratulations on attending the Earthshot Awards.”

“Brilliant Robert! We’re so proud of you and you just know your dad is looking down at you just beaming with pride. You are all that is right in the world.”

“Your dad would be proud of you.”

The Earthshot Prize recipients, who each won one million pounds to scale up their initiatives were:

— Accion Andina, for a community-based initiative in South America bringing people together to restore high forests in the Andes mountain;

— India’s S4S Technologies, for solar-powered dryers and processing equipment that help farmers preserve their crops and combat food waste;

— Boomitra, for removing emissions and helping boost farmer profits in Asia, South America and Africa by incentivising land restoration through a verified carbon-credit marketplace;

— Hong Kong company GRST, for developing a way to make batteries for electric vehicles pollute less and are easier to recycle;

— Global non-profit WildAid Marine Program, for working with governments to bolster enforcement to deter illegal fishing and strengthen ocean conservation.

Commenting on this year’s event, Prince William said, “Our winners and all our finalists remind us that, no matter where you are on our planet, the spirit of ingenuity, and the ability to inspire change, surrounds us all.”

He urged people to become an “architect of change” to ensure a safer planet for future generations.