They’ve won over millions of fans with their fairytale love story – and now it looks like Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell are set to take their romance to the next level.
Sources tell New Idea that the American wakeboarder got down on bended knee on December 11, asking Bindi to be his bride after asking mum Terri for her blessing.
It’s believed plans are now underway for ‘Australia’s wedding of the year’ in 2018 – which insiders reveal will happen at Australia Zoo.
‘The buzz at Australia Zoo is that a big wedding is on the way,’ says a source at the Queensland zoo. ‘We’ve heard that Chandler proposed to Bindi last week, and that he asked Terri for her blessing, which she of course gave.
‘Everyone is really excited. Management have told us there could be a “huge event” next year at the zoo – so of course everyone’s thinking it must be Bindi and Chandler’s wedding.
‘Maybe they’ll get the animals involved – or even open it up to the general public! Bindi and Chandler have so many fans around the country, it would be a really special way to celebrate their wedding in front of all the people that have watched her grow up before their eyes.’
On the day that Chandler, 21, was rumoured to have proposed, 19-year-old Bindi posted a sweet throwback picture of the young couple from 2015 with the caption: ‘We spent this day
with our families smiling and laughing by the lake. I am so glad we found each other in this great big world. I love you.’
The post prompted scores of fans to comment on the photo and celebrate their love story, with one writing: ‘Just get married already,’ and another: ‘Can’t wait to see this wedding!’
And it seems mum Terri is also feeling the wedding buzz, sending the rumour mill flying after she posted a picture of Bindi when she was a little girl and another of her dressed as a flower girl just two days later.
‘Terri is over the moon that Chandler has finally proposed,’ says a source. ‘While Bindi is still quite young, she can see how in love they are and has always believed that she is mature beyond her years – so they have her absolute blessing.
‘She sees a lot of similarities between her love story with Steve and Bindi and Chandler’s romance, and that brings her a lot of happiness.
‘The post of Bindi as a flower girl was to celebrate the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Australia – but also had a hidden meaning that another wedding is on the way! Terri couldn’t help herself !’ Bindi and Chandler have made no secret of their intense love for one another, regularly posting sweet messages of adoration on social media.
In one post, the young conservationist declared that Chandler was ‘the love of my life’ and wrote: ‘Words will always fall short in describing how much you mean to me… I love your hugs and the way you smile at me when I start singing while I make tea. I love watching you write in your journal every afternoon and when you surprise me with my favourite flowers just because.
‘I love that you open every door for me and always bring an extra coat with you because you know I’ll forget mine and be cold… I love your strength during challenging times… I love you because of a thousand reasons that I could spend a lifetime counting. I am beyond thankful that we met on that November day in 2013.’
Just recently, Bindi revealed that she believes her late dad Steve – who tragically died when she was just eight – would’ve loved Chandler as well.
‘I’m lucky I have found The One, the person that I want to spend all my time with,’ Bindi told AWW. ‘Mum and Robert and I have talked about that a lot. We all think dad would have loved Chandler.’
This article originally appeared on New Idea.