Royal voicemail leaves Robert Irwin laughing live on air during wildlife segment
BBC Radio 2 listeners were treated to an unexpected royal cameo when Prince William dropped a surprise voice message during the Scott Mills Breakfast Show—leaving both the host and guest Robert Irwin in fits of laughter.
Irwin, the 20-year-old Australian conservationist and Earthshot Prize ambassador, was in the studio fielding questions from young callers about wildlife when Mills played a final mystery voicemail.
To everyone’s surprise, it was the Prince of Wales himself, kicking off the message with a cheerful: “Good morning, Scott—or should I say, G’day, Scott?”
In the lighthearted message, Prince William praised Irwin as a “brilliant ambassador for the Earthshot Prize,” expressed regret at missing the show, and extended a personal invitation to Mills for this year’s Earthshot Prize ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.
The Prince then poked fun at Irwin’s animal antics, joking, “Just beware, Scott, that Robert likes to pull random terrifying animals and creatures out of his pockets… so just watch your back at all times that a tarantula or something doesn’t suddenly pop onto your desk.”
The playful comment had Irwin laughing on air, clearly caught off guard but delighted by the royal recognition.
Earlier in the show, Irwin engaged young audiences with wildlife insights, shared stories about his late father Steve Irwin, and reflected on his passion for conservation. The show also touched on the differences between Australian and British wildlife and his recent appearance on Dancing With the Stars.
The Prince’s surprise appearance offered a charming blend of humour, support for environmental causes, and a reminder of the royal family’s modern, accessible approach to public engagement.
