Robert Irwin says dad Steve's simple phrase became 'most important' lesson he ever taught him

Robert Irwin has reflected on his relationship with his late father, Steve Irwin, including the trait that has ‘stuck with him’ for his entire life.

Speaking with LADBible Stories for their Honesty Box series, the 22-year-old wildlife conservationist delved into everything from his childhood to his vast knowledge of the animal world.

His dad Steve, the beloved Crocodile Hunter star, passed away aged just 44 years old on 4 September, 2006, which also tragically happened to be Father's Day in Australia.

His death was unexpected and was caused by an unprovoked attack from a stingray while he was filming an underwater documentary in the Great Barrier Reef.

Robert was just two years old when he lost his dad, while his older sister Bindi, 27, was eight. Both of them have gone on to follow in their father’s footsteps and become animal conservationists themselves.

In the new interview, Robert explained how one particular phrase his dad used to say has influenced how he lives his life.

He recalled:“The most important lesson that my dad taught me was this thing he used to always say, which is, ‘Treat every living being the way you would wish to be treated.’

“And, you know, that's that old saying, ‘Treat every person you come into contact with how you wanna be treated.’

“But he really extended that out to every animal, every plant, every person, every living being that you interact with should be met with the same level of care, appreciation, and respect that you would wanna receive.”

Robert was just two years old when Steve Irwin unexpectedly died (instagram/@robertirwinphotography)

Robert added, “And I think that is something that I've kept with me for my whole life. I think it's very important.

“And if you treat everything with a sense of passion, with a sense of respect, and if you treat every living being with respect, I think that's very, very important. And I think there's a lot of people that could take that on board.”

He gushed: “I wouldn't be in this position, and I wouldn't do what I do if it wasn't for my parents who created this love and this passion for the natural world.”

The wildlife conservationist added that he feels closest to his late father when he’s doing what he loves - working with animals.

Robert says he feels close to his dad when working with animals (Handout/Getty)

I feel the closest to his legacy, to what he was all about,” he said, “ And I feel like my job is to echo the message that he created and to bring that message, that sense of fun and positivity, conservation, all of that to a new audience.”

Robert continued: “And it is such an honour to do that. When I'm around people who share that sense of passion, you know, I realise, you know, he would be very proud, I think, of the direction the world is heading and the people who are trying to unify, you know?

You can watch the rest of Robert’s interview here:

“He was a unifying voice more than anything else.

"He wanted to people to get involved in conservation through the lens of fun and enthusiasm and joy and hope and optimism and all of that. And that is very, very important to me.

"And his legacy and the way he conducted himself is something that will always be like my North Star, for sure.”