BINDI’S DOUBLE CELEBRATION
COULD THE YOUNG WILDLIFE WARRIOR BE READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP WITH HER BOYFRIEND?
They’ve been the subject of engagement whispers for months, but as Bindi Irwin celebrates her milestone 21st birthday, fans are speculating whether the daughter of the late Steve Irwin will finally tie the knot with her long-term beau, Chandler Powell, 22.
The loved-up couple appear more committed to each other than ever, posting a flurry of gushing social media posts in recent weeks, prompting their followers to wonder whether more celebrations will follow her 21st birthday, which is on July 24.
Earlier this month, the animal activist shared a romantic message dedicated to Chandler.
Posting a photo of the couple cuddling up on what looked like a wildlife expedition, the former
Dancing with the Stars contestant posted: “A little appreciation post @chandlerpowell, thank you for always being there. I’m grateful every day for you. You’re my sunshine. Always.”
To which the American wakeboarder replied: “This made my entire day. I love you so much. Thank you for being the kindest and most amazing girl a guy could ask for.”
Naturally, fans were quick to pick up on their romantic exchange, urging Chandler to propose. “Pop the question Chandler!!!” one fan exclaimed, while others added: “PUT A RING ON IT, CHANDLER.” And “Am I the only one who gets excited every time they post thinking it’s an engagement?”
Bindi and Chandler have been together for six years, with Florida native Chandler admitting it was love at first sight when the pair first met in 2013 at Australia Zoo during a trip with his family to Australia.
“It just so happened that Bindi was giving tours that day,” Chandler previously told US People magazine. “I’m like, ‘Wow she is amazing’. We haven’t looked back since.”
And for Bindi, meeting a partner who shares so many of the nature-loving qualities of her late father is all the more poignant. “He loves wildlife and conservation and he has this strength,” she gushed.
Despite marriage rumours, the couple have remained coy
“I THINK THE ONE THING THAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO ME IS THAT MY FAMILY IS WITH ME”
when asked about wedding plans in the past.
“We’ve just been taking it easy and enjoying the ride and we tend to really look forward into the future, which is great. … When new things come our way, we’ll embrace them and it’ll be a great new journey. But we’re just enjoying every step of the way,” Bindi told Us Weekly earlier this year, before admitting she had been dreaming of her wedding day since she was a “teeny, tiny little girl”.
Tellingly, Bindi’s mum Terri recently admitted that she wouldn’t “be surprised” if marriage was on the cards for the pair, revealing: “I really think that this is a long-term situation.”
And what better place for Bindi and Chandler to say
‘I do’ than at Australia Zoo, surrounded by her beloved family and extended family
– the animals she adores.
“I think the one thing that is most important to me is that my family is with me no matter what,” she said of her future big day. “Having them there, I don’t need anything else. Just having their love and support means the world to me.”