Kylie Minogue receives French cultural honor

PARIS - France honored Kylie Minogue on Monday, making her Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters for her contribution to French culture.

The 39-year-old Australian singer received the prestigious title the day before kicking off a world tour for her album "X." Past recipients include Ella Fitzgerald and Bob Dylan.

Culture Minister Christine Albanel called Minogue the "princess of pop, the uncontested queen of the dance floor."

Albanel also praised Minogue for her personal courage in her battle against breast cancer.

"The heart, in French, also (refers to) courage, and I want to salute the courage you have shown in publicly revealing, three years ago, that you had been stricken with breast cancer," Albanel said.

"This is an exceptional moment for me," Minogue said in French.

She bubbled praise for Paris.

"I fell in love, and it's a love affair that continues to blossom like an eternal spring," Minogue said, this time in English.

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