Francois Hollande's ex Segolene Royal joins French cabinet

Francois Hollande's former partner Segolene Royal has joined the French government as environment minister.

The 60-year-old French politician, who is the mother of the President's four children, will serve in the cabinet of the new Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, the BBC reported.

Royal was the Socialist candidate in the 2007 presidential election, who lost to Nicolas Sarkozy.