Prince William Gets a Unique Honor, and It Involves Robert Irwin and a Crocodile

Stephanie PetitWed, September 2, 2026 at 2:20 PM UTC

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Prince William and Robert Irwin in Cape Town, South Africa, in November 2024Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty -

Robert Irwin named a crocodile after Prince William

The reptile marked an important milestone in a data collection mission

Irwin, the 22-year-old son of Steve Irwin, has supported the Prince of Wales’ Earthshot Prize for years

Prince William has had many things named after him, including a horse race, flowers and buildings — but this is a new one.

Conservationist Robert Irwin revealed via Instagram on Tuesday, Sept. 1, that 300 crocodiles have been tagged as part of a research project at the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve, named for his late father. In honor of the milestone, he announced that the 300th crocodile would be named Prince William after the royal heir.

“We named him in recognition of Prince William’s remarkable commitment to conservation and to mark the halfway point of The Earthshot Prize,” Irwin, 22, said in the caption of the social media post, referring to the royal’s decade-long project to find solutions to problems affecting the planet.

In the video, Irwin appears with the 12-foot-long saltwater crocodile, who he calls an “extremely special modern-day dinosaur,” and says, “Meet Prince William.”

The reptile was fitted with a small tracker that will provide valuable data about the animal’s movements, diet, body temperature, social interactions and more over the next 10 years.

Irwin has teamed up with Prince William, 44, on conservation efforts before. Most recently, the pair appeared together at the Earthshot Prize Impact Assembly in London this past June, arriving at the event together on a green London bus.

The Dancing with the Stars champion also joined Prince William at the 2024 Earthshot Prize awards evening in Cape Town, South Africa.

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Robert Irwin and Prince William in Cape Town, South Africa, in November 2024Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty

Irwin previously told PEOPLE that despite his own dedication to wildlife preservation, he’s learned a few things from the Prince of Wales.

“I talk to him about animals, and like, he is on it. He knows exactly what’s going on. In most conversations I have with His Royal Highness, I learn something. I really do,” the Australian conservationist said last year.

“And it’s funny because when you’re talking to him — I was just talking to him just now — and we’re talking about how great it is here in London and Climate Action Week, and I mentioned Notpla, this awesome finalist who’s working on reducing plastic and using kelp. And you just see his face light up, and he’s like, ‘Aren’t they just the coolest? Aren’t they just doing such a great job, and they’re gonna be at Wimbledon? How awesome is that?’ ” Irwin adds.

“It’s this genuine sense of passion. I love that passion. Like that’s what I seek. I seek out people that feel like kindred spirits, you know? So it’s really awesome. Really is,” Irwin tells PEOPLE.

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Prince William is set to visit India in November for the 2026 Earthshot Prize awards ceremony. He expressed how well the country aligns with the organization’s goals when he announced the 2026 awards back in February.

“This country is a global technology leader; it’s home to 8% of the world’s biodiversity,” he said. “It’s the world’s fastest-growing major climate with the largest population of young people in the world. And it’s home to more Earthshot Prize finalists and winners than any other country on the planet.”

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”