The Truth About Bindi Irwin's Husband Chandler Powell
Bindi Irwin and her husband, Chandler Powell, are in it for the long haul. And, given the circumstances of her famous father's passing when she was young, a lifetime of wedded bliss has been a longtime coming for her. After all, few people were more wholesome than the beloved Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, may he rest in peace. His passionate and tireless work with all kinds of animals brought the world's attention to the importance of wildlife conservation, and his legacy lives on today at the Australia Zoo.
And before Irwin's untimely passing in 2006, his daughter, Bindi, began making appearances on television alongside her father, even getting her own show called Bindi the Jungle Girl. It was clear that she was destined to follow in his footsteps, which all these years later, she has indeed done. Your pops would be proud, Bindi!
Fans of the Irwin family have gotten used to seeing Bindi's sweetie by her side, as the pair have been smitten with each other since 2013. After more than five years of dating, the lovebirds announced that they got engaged and they later married in March 2020. But just what is there to know about Bindi's husband? This is the truth about Chandler Powell.
Bindi Irwin's husband, Chandler Powell, is a Florida man
Unlike the Irwins, Chandler Powell isn't a native of the land down under, even though that's where he first met his wife when he visited the Australia Zoo in 2013. Thanks to a little bit of luck on that fateful day, the pair were introduced to one another — something Powell remembers very well. "It just so happened that Bindi was giving tours that day," he recalled in an interview with People magazine. "I'm like, 'Wow she is amazing.'" Awww!
Bindi Irwin also has fond memories of the day they met, showing that Powell made just as much of an impact on her as she did on him. "It was incredible," she said on Dancing with the Stars. "I was like, 'This guy from Florida's okay!'" Hey, when sparks fly like that, you tend to remember it.
But after that, Powell had to return to his native Florida where he lived, which is a long way from Australia. Clearly though, their romance was set in motion, and they didn't forget each other.
Chandler Powell was a professional wakeboarder
When Chandler Powell met Bindi Irwin, he was in the midst of a professional career in wakeboarding, something he began doing as a teenager. "I started right before my 13th birthday and got sponsored at the end of 2010, so I was 14 at the time," he shared in an interview with the Plant City Observer. "It's pretty quick, but since [wake park] McCormick's is right next to my house I was going every day. I pretty much had no excuse not to." It takes a lot of discipline to be a committed athlete at such a young age, so we're pretty impressed.
By the time Powell was 17 years old, he was a full-on professional, and was ready to take his wakeboarding career to the next level as he loved the work. "I love how you can be creative," he continued. "You can make tricks your own with different grabs, and rails you can do whatever you want with. You can have your own style and separate yourself from everyone else."
Powell left his wakeboarding career behind when he moved to Australia to be with Irwin, but you can still see how good he was online.
Traveling the world? Check!
One of the perks of being a professional wakeboarder is traveling the world for competitions. That's what brought Chandler Powell to Australia in the first place, as well as to far-flung locations like Abu Dhabi, Thailand, the Philippines, China, and, yes, even Texas. "I have friends who have never even been out of Florida, so when I tell them I'm going to Texas it's a big deal," Chandler revealed in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times. "When I go out of the country they get pretty jealous." Um, can we say lucky?
Even though Powell has left his career as a wakeboarder behind, he's still traveling the world. For example, in one post on his Instagram page, you can see him scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef. He's also been to the South of France, Venice, Rome, and Singapore, to name just a few. Talk about having the adventures of a lifetime!
Chandler Powell's father was also a pro
Athleticism must run in the Powell family DNA, because Chandler Powell's father, Chris, was also a professional athlete when he was younger. "I was into kneeboarding back then and Jimmy Redmon (who helped design the modern wakeboard) came to us with these boards that looked like a surfboard but had straps for your feet," he explained in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times. "We ended up in the first contest in Austin and it took off from there." Not only was he an athlete then, but he was also a pioneer in the sport.
Back then water sports were harder to compete in, as access was dependent on what you personally owned. "When I was doing it, the sport was very exclusive because you had to have money and access to a boat, gas, a lake, etc.," he continued. "Now so many more kids are getting into it because you can buy or rent a board and come to a place like McCormick's and rent a block of time. It's so much more accessible." Hooray for that!
At age 3, Bindi Irwin's husband started skateboarding
Before Chandler Powell was called to the world of wakeboarding, he had another passion, something that was nurtured very early on in his life. "One of his relatives gave him a skateboard when he turned 3 and we all thought it was a little crazy," his mother explained in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times. We hope he wore a helmet, at least.
Bindi Irwin's husband took to skateboarding right away, and he would practice on his skateboard often. "He would go out in the yard and dramatically fall off of it all the time," she continued. "Looking back, what I think he was doing was teaching himself how to fall the right way." Honestly, that's some parenting done right.
By the time that Powell was 4 years old, his parents had built him a half-pipe in the backyard so he could perfect his moves. "Most of the mothers couldn't bear to look," she added. In the end, it all paid off!
Chandler Powell learned to juggle work and school as a teen
Given that Chandler Powell went pro at such a young age, he had to learn early on how to balance athletics with his education. "I would work with my teachers every year, say 'Hey, this is my schedule. This is what I'll be doing,' in advance, so I don't miss school," Bindi Irwin's husband recalled in an interview with the Plant City Observer. "I'd meet with them, get my assignments, take any tests, [and] complete my work before." He also studied when he was on airplanes, and made up assignments with teachers as needed. No wonder he graduated with such stellar grades.
Powell's parents were proactive with his education as well, ensuring that he maintained a work-life balance. "We check with his teachers before every trip to assess where he is and what's going on because school comes first with him," his mother shared in a 2014 interview with the Tampa Bay Times. "But honestly, they are so supportive that a lot of times they have talked us into taking the trip." Never underestimate the impact that good teachers can have!
Bindi Irwin's husband, Chandler Powell, loves being a Wildlife Warrior
When Bindi Irwin's husband, Chandler Powell, relocated from Florida to Australia to be with his lady love full-time, he gave up his wakeboarding career, which couldn't have been an easy decision. Fortunately, however, he's also become a full-time Wildlife Warrior alongside his bae, which he enjoys tremendously. "It's amazing to be part of such an incredible cause and to work for Steve's legacy and to do [so] alongside the most beautiful girl in the world," he mused in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. "It's such fulfilling work. I love it." Talk about a dream job!
Working at the Australia Zoo is a natural fit for Powell, as he was exposed to plenty of similar wildlife in his home state, especially when he was out wakeboarding. "Being in lakes, we had turtles and alligators and snakes, and I love wildlife and conserving it and teaching people about it," he continued. "Now to do it full-time is incredible." So even though he's half a world away from the Sunshine State, he feels right at home in Australia and hasn't looked back once.
Chandler Powell loved the Crocodile Hunter
It's been several years since Chandler Powell first donned the iconic khaki uniform of the Australia Zoo, symbolizing his official assimilation into the Irwin family. But interestingly enough, Powell has been an Irwin fan for much longer than that, according to Terri Irwin. "What's kind of ironic is I was talking to Chandler's mother, and he was an avid Crocodile Hunter fan when he was little," she revealed in an interview with E! News. "So he used to put on the big khaki shirt and go to school when he was in first grade and pretend to be Steve." Perhaps that's why he went to visit the zoo in the first place.
As for whether or not the late Crocodile Hunter would approve of Powell, Terri had some thoughts on the subject. "I think because Chandler's a nice person and really kind to Bindi that he'd be very happy," she continued. We like the idea of Steve smiling down on the newest addition to his family.
Bindi Irwin's family adores him
If you follow Chandler Powell or his wife on Instagram, you know that they often appear in each other's pictures and videos, gazing adoringly at one another. But both of them also post pictures of Powell flashing his million dollar smile along with the rest of the Irwin family, which is so sweet it almost gives you cavities.
As it turns out, those captured moments aren't just made up for Instagram, as the Irwin clan really does think the world of Bindi Irwin's husband — something that gives Bindi some serious warm fuzzies. "I'm so glad that my family loves him too. They may even love him more than I do," she gushed in a 2016 interview with Entertainment Tonight. "I think, I have my family and then Chandler has become a part of the family, so I'm happy with where I'm at."
Indeed, it seems that Powell was destined to become one of the Irwins and has truly earned his khakis. "He just understands us, he loves wildlife, loves wild places and is just ready to try," she added. What a perfect fit!
Chandler Powell's first move was unorthodox... but it worked
After Chandler Powell first encountered Bindi Irwin at the Australia Zoo, he knew he was 100 percent smitten. But he didn't try and get her phone number that day, or ask Irwin out on a date. Rather, he took a more nuanced approach, as he presumably didn't want to come off as creepy or overbearing. To that end, he asked his brother to reach out to Irwin to see if she was interested in hearing from him. Of course, she was, and she told Powell's brother that she'd like that very much.
But instead of contacting her directly at that point, Powell wanted to be a bit more formal when stating his intentions. So he instead wrote a letter to Irwin's mom, asking if he could get in touch with her daughter, which turned out to be a winning strategy. "Finally, after all that, mom came to me and said, 'Who is this guy? Is he real, and why aren't you two together?'" Irwin recalled in an interview with 9Honey. That's how you do it!
Bindi Irwin says her husband is a total sweetie
You can tell that Chandler Powell and Bindi Irwin are crazy about each other just by looking at them together, as they're always smiling and giving the other sweet looks. Plus, in addition to their mutually adorable Instagram posts, both Powell and Irwin have said really sweet things about each other on more than one occasion in interviews. In particular, Irwin has praised Powell for bringing out the best in her. "We balance each other out very well," she shared in an interview with Us Weekly. "Chandler's really kind."
Irwin also appreciates the way that Powell naturally helps her be her best self. "He is so consistently supportive and is always there for me and he reminds me to take care of me and not to do too much all at once, which is really nice," she continued. "He keeps me grounded instead of flying away with all my dreams and goals." These two are total #relationshipgoals.
Bindi Irwin's husband is a savvy gift-giver
Not only is Chandler Powell incredibly kind and, at times, old-fashioned, he's also become "very good" at giving gifts, according to Bindi Irwin. "He's better off giving me hints leading up to my birthday, rather than [me going] crazy wanting to know what he's gotten me," she revealed in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. That's because Irwin admits she's not the best with surprises, so it's fitting that he doesn't let her guess too much.
For example, on one of Irwin's birthdays, Powell decided to surprise her not with one present but with many. "He decided that he'd get me a sequence of gifts," she continued. "He actually told me one of them. He said, 'You love English Breakfast tea so much.' That's my favorite kind of tea, [so] he wanted to give English Breakfast tea from England." Chances are he'll never forget an anniversary with that kind of dedication.
Bindi Irwin says her husband loves a challenge
In order to hack it in khakis at the Australia Zoo, you have to be confident in your abilities, and you definitely can't be afraid of dangerous animals. Fortunately, Bindi Irwin's husband, Chandler Powell, is a total natural with wildlife, something Irwin totally adores about him. "No challenge is too difficult for Chandler, whether it's jumping on crocodiles or going through with a red carpet event like tonight," she gushed in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. "He's always there and up for anything." That's the Irwin spirit!
Irwin didn't stop there, either, as she had additional praises to heap onto her sweetie. "I'm so lucky," she continued. "I'm so lucky to have found my person so early on in life. He's the best guy!"
Not to be outdone, Powell returned the compliment. "I am the luckiest man alive," he mused, adding, "I have the most beautiful girl in the world, [and] I got the best family out of it." Clearly the love-fest is nonstop with this couple.
Was it love at first sight for Bindi Irwin and her husband, Chandler Powell?
It's abundantly clear that Chandler Powell believes in love at first sight, as it's something he's not shy about discussing. "You know instantly when you meet your person in life," he shared in an interview with 9Honey. That was certainly the case when he met Bindi Irwin, as he said it felt like they had known each other for years, even though it was the first time they met.
It didn't take long for Powell to develop some pretty intense feelings. "I fell in love instantly, and we've never looked back," he continued. He noted, "I knew [she] was someone I wanted to be around the rest of my life, and just immediately fell in love with [her]."
Of course, Irwin totally reciprocates Powell's feelings, and her feelings developed just as fast as his did. "We just fell in love and that was it," she added. Honestly, it sounds like a fairy tale, but that's how it really happened. Love is real!