Royal Reward: Music to Kylie’s Ears
Here’s one honor Kylie Minogue no doubt can’t get out of her head.
The diminutive Aussie pop star was honored by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace Thursday, receiving an Order of the British Empire for her services to music.
“It is an incredible honor for me to receive this award,” she told the crowd and Prince Charles, who was filling in for mom Queen Elizabeth II at the ceremony.
“It makes me feel both humble and proud to be recognized for doing a job that I love so much.”
Minogue’s little sister and fellow pop princess, Dannii Minogue, was also on hand.
“It was surprisingly emotional,” the “Spinning Around” singer said afterward of her big day. “I expected to be a little nervous, obviously very excited, but it was very emotional seeing all these people from different walks of life joining together for this event.”
In addition to the 40-year-old Minogue, about a dozen other people received the honor.
The British OBE honor comes in the wake of another European laurel; earlier this year she received one of France’s top prizes, dubbed a Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters for the “cultural pleasure she has given French people.”
Enchanté, we’re sure.
Kylie Minogue Culturally Sound in France
Kyle Minogue has blasted right past Jerry Lewis into Diana Ross and Meryl Streep territory.
On the eve of a world tour to promote her latest album, X, the Australian pop star was made a Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters by France's Minister of Culture in honor of her contributions to the country's arts scene.
"The heart, in French, also [means] 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," Culture Minister Christine Albanel said at a ceremony Monday, where she also referred to Minogue as a "princess of pop" and "the uncontested queen of the dance floor."
"This is an exceptional moment for me," Minogue, who's also an officer in the Order of the British Empire, said in French, before describing her feelings for Paris in English:
"I fell in love, and it's a love affair that continues to blossom like an eternal spring."
Fellow past recipients of this honor include Streep, Ross, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Redford, Uma Thurman, Sharon Stone, Bob Dylan, Celine Dion, Clint Eastwood and Bruce Willis.