Soul legend Aretha Franklin moves US President Barack Obama to tears with show-stopping performance

Aretha Franklin has demonstrated why she is the undisputed Queen of Soul, with a performance that brought US President Barack Obama to tears at the 38th Kennedy Center Honours in Washington.

Franklin made a surprise appearance at the ceremony, performing the 1967 classic (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.

The 73-year-old soul singer strode on stage to tumultuous applause and after waving to the audience settled her self at the piano to deliver a show-stopping version of one of her best known songs.

She wore a mink fur coat, which she cast to the ground as she stood to deliver the final verse.

The Obamas were among the audience and the US president, known to be a fan of Franklin, could be seen wiping his eyes and later singing along to himself.

Carole King, one of the song's composers and who was among those being honoured at the evening's ceremony, was likewise overcome.

King, who like Franklin is 73, was one of five honorees at the annual ceremony this year.

The others were Star Wars filmmaker George Lucas, actress Rita Moreno, the conductor Seiji Ozawa and Broadway actress Cicely Tyson.

The Kennedy Centre Honours took place on 6 December, but was broadcast on CBS on Tuesday night.

Celebrities tweeted their appreciation for Franklin.

Sam Smith, the singer behind the Spectre theme song, tweeted a Youtube link to the performance, saying: "Bow down to the queen".