What to Know
The past year has been such a big one for Bindi Irwin and her family. With her brother, Robert Irwin, bringing home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy after winning Dancing With the Stars and the Australia Zoo continuing to grow, it’s safe to say that they’re busy… and unfortunately, that also sounds like the tension between Robert and Bindi’s husband, Chandler Powell, that was rumored to exist earlier this year only seems to be getting worse.
Chandler and Robert’s social media behavior toward each other seems to have changed.
According to what a source told Radar Online, though Robert and Chandler were once constantly interacting on social media, Robert seems to have gone radio silent on his brother-in-law’s Instagram posts.
“For a family known for constantly commenting and liking each other’s posts, Robert has barely acknowledged any of Chandler’s in recent weeks,” the insider said.
Then, there’s the way that Chandler seems to be attempting to emulate Robert. The source added, “After the world went wild over Robert’s six-pack, Chandler is posting workout videos — which he’s never done before.”
While many of Chandler’s recent Instagram posts seem to have gone ignored by Robert, he did congratulate Chandler on becoming an Australian citizen just a couple of weeks ago, commenting on his post, “YES MATE.”
The rumors that Chandler and Robert are feuding were first reported in January.
Radar Online first reported that Chandler and Robert’s once super close relationship no longer seemed to be in a very good place in January, with an insider claiming that Robert’s newfound fame and success in Hollywood after DWTS was taking a toll on his family, who kept the Australia Zoo their main focus.
“Chandler has been working nonstop to keep the zoo going,” the source said at the time. “He’s exhausted and feels like Robert has turned his back and is just out there chasing fame. Meanwhile, Chandler is putting in the blood, sweat, and tears back home to keep the family legacy alive. Of course, Robert doesn’t see it that way. He says he’s doing all of this for the family, not turning his back on them. But Chandler isn’t buying it. He’s accusing Robert of going totally Hollywood.”
The tension was reportedly “very hard for Bindi to wrap her head around,” leaving her feeling like she was “caught in the middle” of two people who are very important to her.
In the middle of it all, Bindi seems focused on holding her family together.
After those first reports of the alleged feud surfaced, another source told New Idea that Bindi had planned a trip to Tasmania so that she, Chandler, and their daughter Grace could get a break from it all, and it sounded like her plan may have worked.
“Bindi’s trying not to put too much energy or intensity into the situation and is praying that it solves itself organically,” the insider said. “And she’s got every reason to be optimistic, since there’s ultimately so much love and respect between Chandler and Robert. Like all relatives, they have their ups and downs. This break has already done Chandler the world of good, and that’s great news for the whole family.”
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