Bindi Irwin Keeps Surname To Honour Late Father Steve Irwin

Bindi Irwin is keeping her surname to honour her late father Steve Irwin.

The 21-year-old conservationist married Chandler Powell earlier this year, but has said she won't be taking his surname to become Bindi Powell, because she wants to continue to "feel close" to her father Steve, who passed away in 2006 when he was pierced in the heart by a stingray barb whilst filming a documentary.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, she explained: "I've kept Bindi Irwin. I think that for me personally, after Dad passed away it was really important for me to feel close to him, and having his last name means so much to me."

In fact, Bindi hinted that Chandler — who now lives with Bindi, her mother Terri and her brother Robert at Australia Zoo — could even take her surname to officially become an Irwin instead.

She added: "Chandler has become an Irwin now. It has become a part of me. Everyone has their own ideas, but the nice thing is that it's 2020 now, anything works!"

Bindi and Chandler married in April, but were unable to have guests at their wedding because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Instead, they tied the knot in front of Bindi's family at Australia Zoo, where they kept the memory of Steve — who was also known as the Crocodile Hunter — alive by holding the nuptials themselves in an area that was "special" to him.

Bindi said of her wedding: "Where we got married was such a special place to dad. It's a beautiful little area where he had filmed for many years. It felt really wonderful and just meant to be.

"We had dad's picture with his dog Sui blown up on an easel. So mom and Robert were standing right next to dad as we exchanged vows. We had a candle-lighting ceremony for him, and it really felt like he was there with us. It was a lovely moment of peace and happiness."— BANG