Bindi Irwin Blasts Chandler Powell Marriage Rumors: ‘I’m Really Happy With Where I’m At’

Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late and beloved Steve Irwin, is celebrating her eighteenth birthday and a big part of marking the event was an Instagram post in which Bindi remembers her father and opens up about the plans for her own future.

While the post was emotional and honest, it did leave many wondering where boyfriend Chandler Powell fit into Bindi’s plans, spurring rumors that Powell and Irwin might be soon headed for an altar. Only hours after that original post, Bindi Irwin steps up to squash any gossip that might suggest she is more serious about Chandler than she really is, but also not entirely ruling out the possibility of wedded bliss many years down the road.

Bindi Irwin Refutes Rumors Of An Engagement

Just turning 18 years old, Bindi Irwin has her whole life ahead of her, so she’s not looking to settle down into a confining marriage, according to an interview shared by People magazine. The daughter of The Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, isn’t ruling out a marriage down the road, but she’s also not committing to something so serious at this early juncture. Instead, Bindi is taking her relationship with Chandler at a relaxed pace, just enjoying the moments they spend together in the long-distance relationship communications.

“I don’t think I’m at a point in my life where marriage and getting engaged is really a huge priority right now for me,” said Irwin. “Maybe in five years, but right now I’m really happy with where I’m at.”

Powell, who is a professional wakeboarder and Florida college student, met Bindi during a visit to Australian Zoo in November 2013. The duo started out as friends, but their long distance relationship evolved into a romance, as they used Skype and FaceTime to bridge their geographical gap.

“I’m really happy with our relationship and I think we’ll just continue to have fun,” Irwin explained. “It’s just nice to have someone there no matter what.”

Bindi reveals that Powell has really swept her off her feet through his kind and selfless demeanor and she says that she truly feels fortunate to have him in her life. Ms. Irwin adds that her mother and brother are also fond of him. In fact, Bindi suggests they may like Chandler even more than she does, which makes it feel as though Powell is already an extended part of the Irwin family.

Bindi Irwin Celebrates 18 Years As The Crocodile Hunter‘s Baby Girl

In marking her 18th birthday, Bindi Irwin shared a two-part Instagram post and the captions to those pictures, as shared by Too Fab, celebrate Bindi’s own life, but also seek to remember her father and thank him for being a part in bringing her into this world. Ms. Irwin comments that her world has changed drastically, since the image which depicts Steve and Terri Irwin holding Bindi as an infant, but adds that not everything has been negative. She welcomes her brother Robert into the world within the intervening years and remarks that Australian Zoo has also grown in those years, proving that life is never stagnant.

“I don’t think that when this photo was taken even my beautiful parents could have known what life would evolve,” Ms. Irwin added. “I know that I am endlessly grateful for the love and light I have been given since Day 1 of my life.”

There were also hard times and loss. As millions of Steve Irwin’s fans are painfully aware, he was killed in an attack from a stingray in 2006, while filming on location for a new series, Ocean’s Deadliest.

Proving herself as brave and as loving of nature’s creatures as her father, Bindi shared a second picture with her Instagram followers in which she’s seen making time with a playful tiger cub. Captioning that photo with a continuation of her birthday thoughts, Bindi remarks that she can’t know what her future holds, but adds that she will live her life by trying to do her part in making the world a better place.

“Life is constantly evolving and I’m determined to find the light and love around every corner and share this with everyone who is a part of my story,” writes Bindi Irwin. “Thank you so much to every single soul who took the time to read these last two posts, it means so much. I can’t wait to see what is yet to come.”

[Image by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images for AFI]