Prince William Leaves Robert Irwin Blushing With Cheeky Joke About His Underwear Photoshoot

Prince William had Robert Irwin in fits of embarrassed laughter after delivering a cheeky one-liner about the Australian conservationist’s underwear photoshoot during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show.

The Prince of Wales, 44, and Irwin, 22, appeared on the comedy chat show on Friday, where the conversation turned to the young wildlife expert’s promotional campaign for Australian underwear brand Bonds. Photographs showing Irwin wearing nothing but briefs while posing with snakes and spiders were displayed on screen, leaving him visibly flustered as William examined the images.

“I can’t believe I’m looking at these with Prince William,” Irwin admitted, sounding both embarrassed and amused.

He then explained that the shoot had a conservation purpose beyond promoting the brand.

“It was an underwear commercial, obviously, but I wanted to kind of create a conservation element to it,” he said. “I believe in bringing the message to an audience that might not ordinarily be in that world.”

The discussion moved on to a large huntsman spider featured in the campaign, giving William the perfect opportunity to deliver his punchline.

“I’m still thinking about your python,” the Prince joked.

The remark sent the studio into laughter. Irwin turned bright red before collapsing sideways into the sofa and burying his face in the cushions.

Robert Irwin Names a 12-Foot Crocodile After the Prince

The playful exchange was not the only moment the pair shared on the programme. Irwin also revealed that he had named a formidable saltwater crocodile after William, only for the Prince to jokingly suggest that the animal deserved a different namesake.

Recalling the capture, Irwin enthusiastically described the crocodile’s size and strength.

“We recently caught this beautiful 12-foot unit of a croc!” he said.

“He was beautiful, death-rolling, he had teeth like this, he came out swinging, he was just amazing!”

Irwin then revealed the name he had chosen for the animal, explaining that it honoured one of his favourite people.

“It is Prince William the crocodile!” he announced.

William, however, was quick to play down the honour.

“It should have been named after The Rock… it shouldn’t be me!” he joked, referring to the actor and former professional wrestler Dwayne Johnson.

The Story Behind ‘Prince William’ the Crocodile

Irwin had previously explained the naming decision in a social media post shared in September. The crocodile, which measures 12 feet 6 inches, was the 300th crocodile tagged as part of a research programme at the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve.

“Meet ‘Prince William,’ a 12-foot 6-inch saltwater crocodile and the 300th crocodile tagged through our world-leading research project on the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve,” Irwin wrote.

The project forms part of the wildlife research work carried out at the reserve, which was established in honour of Irwin’s late father, conservationist Steve Irwin.

A Shared Commitment to Wildlife Conservation

The light-hearted moments reflect a longstanding connection between William and Irwin, who have worked together through their shared interest in protecting the natural world.

Irwin is an ambassador for William’s Earthshot Prize, the Prince’s environmental initiative supporting solutions to major challenges facing the planet.

Their relationship has also received public attention through messages of support from William and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales.

In September 2025, the royal couple congratulated Irwin after he won the US edition of Dancing With the Stars, where he competed alongside professional dancer Witney Carson.

William and Catherine shared their message through their official Instagram account after Irwin posted a video from the grand finale.

“Congratulations Robert and Witney!” the couple wrote, adding a disco ball emoji.

From celebrating Irwin’s television success to sharing a laugh over a crocodile bearing his name, William and the young conservationist have continued to demonstrate their shared enthusiasm for wildlife and environmental causes. Their latest appearance on The Graham Norton Show offered viewers another glimpse of that rapport — this time with plenty of laughter along the way.