London, Feb 4 : Harry Potter author JK Rowling has been awarded France's prestigious Legion of Honour.

The 43-year-old writer was knighted by French President Nicholas Sarkozy during a ceremony in the Elysee Palace, reports the Scotsman.

Rowling shot to fame with the publication in 1997 of Harry Potter and the Philosopher''s Stone, the first of her seven-part series about the boy wizard.

The books have sold more than 400 million copies and been translated into 67 languages, including French

The Legion d''honneur is France''s elite national merit society, which was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in the 19th century. (ANI)