LONDON (AFP) - Australian singer Kylie Minogue became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) Thursday, receiving the award from heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles at a ceremony in London.

"I was totally blown away to receive this," said the 40-year-old said after the investiture at Queen Elizabeth II's official London residence Buckingham Palace.

The singer, wearing a cream dress decorated with multi-coloured stars and gold, high-heeled sandals, attended alongside members of the public receiving similar awards for charity work and other accomplishments.

Prince Charles was deputising for his mother, who is in Scotland.

"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," she added.

"It is an incredible honour for me to receive this award. It makes me feel both humble and proud to be recognised for doing a job that I love so much."

Minogue, who has undergone a series of reinventions from television soap opera actress to bubblegum pop star to disco diva, was joined at the palace by her parents, Carol and Ron, and sister Dannii, also an actress-turned-singer.

In May, France awarded the star its highest cultural honour, the Order of Arts and Letters, and she was praised by the country's culture minister for her public battle against breast cancer that had inspired women to regular checks.

Minogue, who received chemotherapy in Paris, was described by Christine Albanel as a "Midas of the international music scene who turns everything she touches into gold".

Source: AFP