Fans of Dancing With the Stars were left stunned on Tuesday night when Prince William made a surprise appearance on the hit show — all to cheer on Australian wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin.
The Prince of Wales, 43, appeared via video chat during the live broadcast, catching both Irwin and his dance partner Witney Carson completely off guard. The royal, who called in from the U.K., greeted the pair with a warm smile and a playful quip, jokingly referring to Irwin as “twinkle toes.”
“Robert, how’s it going? I miss you, mate,” William said, before teasingly asking about Irwin’s performance progress.
The conversation quickly turned to the Earthshot Prize ceremony, which took place on Nov. 5 in Rio de Janeiro. Irwin, an ambassador for the environmental initiative, had to skip the global event to continue competing on DWTS.
“I need you down here,” William laughed, adding, “You guys have got a serious good chance of winning. Best of luck on the show.”
Carson, clearly starstruck, gasped after the call ended. “I can’t believe he just said my name,” she exclaimed. Irwin grinned and responded, “Let’s not mess this up!”
Viewers online were equally astonished by the royal cameo. “Prince William on DWTS was not on my bingo card — pretty cool!” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Another joked, “They got Prince William to Zoom in, but not Zac Efron to call his brother?” — referencing Dylan Efron’s appearance as a contestant on the same season.
The lighthearted moment highlighted the growing friendship between Prince William and Irwin, who shares the royal’s passion for environmental conservation. As an Earthshot Prize ambassador, the 21-year-old Australian has worked closely with William and The Royal Foundation to promote sustainable solutions for the planet’s most pressing challenges.
Their camaraderie dates back to June, when the Prince surprised Irwin with a recorded message during his appearance on BBC Radio 2. “Robert Irwin is a brilliant ambassador for the Earthshot Prize,” William said at the time.
Later in the DWTS episode, Irwin and Carson danced an emotional Foxtrot to Leona Lewis’ “Footprints in the Sand,” earning their first perfect score of the season. The touching routine was dedicated in part to Irwin’s late father, wildlife icon Steve Irwin — a moment that resonated deeply with fans and judges alike.
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