The longstanding feud within the Irwin family might be ending soon, but not without pushback from Steve Irwin’s wife, Terri Irwin. The household severed ties with Steve’s father Bob Irwin Snr., after he resigned from Australia Zoo in 2008, despite founding it in the ‘70s.
Many years later, Steve and Terri’s daughter Bindi is seeking a reconnection with her grandfather. This comes after she made a viral Facebook post slamming the family patriarch in 2021, making her desire for reconciliation a surprise.
Why is Bindi Irwin reaching out to her grandfather?
A friend of Bindi’s revealed that the 26-year-old wants her daughter Grace Warrior to meet her great-grandfather before he dies. The estrangement is reportedly affecting Bindi’s growing family with her husband, Chandler Powell, even though she admitted in 2021 that Bob has avoided her and her household.
The friend added that Terri is disappointed at Bindi, who was absent at the annual Steve Irwin gala in Las Vegas earlier this year. Another source noted that Bindi is ready to go with Grace to her granddad’s residence near Kingaroy in North-West Queensland, regardless of what her mother thinks.
Why did Bob Irwin Sr. leave Australia Zoo?
Bob left Australia Zoo because he felt it was getting too commercialized, likening it to an amusement park. He added that he was starting to feel left out as the business grew despite being the pioneer, so he stepped back to let Steve run it as he deemed fit. He walked away with incentives, including $1 million and an annual pension worth $100,000.
Although Bob’s exit went without friction for the most part, he suddenly distanced himself from the family, ignoring letters and gifts from Terri. Bindi also noted in her infamous 2021 post that Bob gets weekly payments that he never acknowledges. Bob’s side disputed these claims, noting that he simply prefers to keep to himself while coping with being sidelined by the rest of the clan.