Robert Irwin Has Prince William’s ‘Direct’ Phone Number, ‘Can Count’ Him ‘As a Proper Friend’

Prince William is thrilled to have recruited Robert Irwin into his Earthshot Prize project and they’re building a solid friendship outside of work, sources reveal.

“They are now at a point where they have each other’s direct numbers, which is pretty thrilling for Robert, who still can’t believe he can count Prince William as a proper friend,” a source tells Star. “But anyone who knows William will tell you that he thinks the world of Robert. He loves being able to give him guidance.”

Per sources, William, 44, and Robert, 22, have had long and emotional conversations about the deaths of their respective parents, Princess Diana and Steve Irwin, and the hell they each went through after losing a parent at such a young age.

“It’s not all serious. They are both huge footie fans so that’s something they’ve bonded over as well,” says the source. “But certainly having this shared experience played a big part in this friendship.

Robert was just 2 years old when his father Steve, 44, was killed by a sting ray in 2006 while a 15-year-old William tragically lost his mother Diana, 36, in a Paris car accident in 1997.

“They both had to go through it in the public eye when they were very young and that’s something very few people can relate to,” the source notes. “The fact that Robert has devoted his life to carrying on his dad’s work has impressed William so much because he feels that same sense of duty towards Diana.”

Adds the source: “There’s no doubt he sees a lot of himself in Robert.”