Out singer-songwriter Sir Elton John
has been awarded France's highest civilian award, the Legion
d'Honneur.
President Emmanuel Macron presented the
award during a ceremony at the Elysée
Palace on Friday.
Macron described John as a “melodic
genius” and praised his charity work.
“Yesterday I received the Légion
d’honneur by President @emmanuelmacron for services to music and
for my work with @ejaf [Elton John AIDS Foundation],” John
captioned a photo from the ceremony on Instagram. “It was so
humbling and moving to receive such an honour. We also talked the
need to successfully replenish the @GlobalFund this October to
continue fighting HIV/AIDS, which will help save 16 million lives. We
can and must end this epidemic.”
The honor comes roughly a month after
the opening of Rocketman, which stars Taron Egerton as a young
John.
(Related: Elton
John “proud” of gay sex scenes in Rocketman.)
The 72-year-old British singer is on
his final world tour. John has said that his Farewell Yellow Brick
Road tour will be his last.