In a light-hearted twist to the age-old “scone wars,” Prince William recently waded into the fray by revealing his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II’s preference for her cream teas. According to William, the late Queen favored the Devonian approach—cream first, then jam—over the Cornish tradition of spreading jam before cream. This revelation came during a Heart FM breakfast show interview on Friday, where he humorously accepted the role of “scone authority,” attributing his knowledge to his grandmother. Despite the preference, he diplomatically noted, “It tastes delicious either way.”
Meghan’s Memorial Day Scones Spark Backlash
Not long after Prince William’s comments, Meghan Markle joined the conversation with a subtle nod to the ongoing debate. Over the weekend, her lifestyle brand, As Ever, shared an Instagram clip featuring a scone being prepared with cream first, followed by a dollop of her raspberry spread, honey, and flower sprinkles. This post, intended to mark Memorial Day weekend, sparked curiosity and discussion among followers. Some questioned the relevance of posting a quintessentially British recipe for a U.S. holiday, while others speculated about the timing, suggesting it was a response to William’s remarks.
Prince William Weighs In on the Great Scone Debate
Despite the chatter, Meghan has previously expressed her affinity for scones on her As Ever website. Her description of their Orange Marmalade as perfect for warm scones indicates a longstanding appreciation for the treat. However, the Instagram clip also drew some critique, with viewers suggesting the scone appeared too “crunchy” and questioning the addition of honey.
That’s certainly what her former chef claimed and is how they have always served them up at Buckingham Palace garden parties, where no-one, not even Her Late Majesty, complained. While the origins of the rivalry are debatable, Cornish aficionados believe their own clotted cream should be the crowning glory of the sweet treat, while devoted Devonians believe the cream acts as butter to stop the jam sliding off. The prince also told the show, which was broadcast live from St Mary in the Isles of Scilly, of his pride at the way in which his wife has come through her cancer battle, describing her as an ‘amazing mum and wife’. He revealed Catherine came back ‘buzzing’ from her recent work trip to Italy, the first solo foreign visit she has undertaken for four years since she was diagnosed and underwent treatment.
‘She’s an amazing mum and an amazing wife, and literally our family couldn’t cope without her so she’s been absolutely stunning,’ he said. William, 43, also spoke of the ‘chaos’ of school runs with Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis as their elder brother, Prince George, is already boarding at school in Berkshire. Louis, in particular, has a habit of leaving fingerprints from his jam sandwiches in the car. Speaking to his family on show, he said: ‘Charlotte and Louis, because George is boarding, Charlotte and Louis if you’re listening, make sure you’re on time please, make sure you’re not fighting over who listens to what, this morning.’
He also waxed lyrical about the Isles of Scilly, where he would frequently holiday with his parents as a young boy. Speaking about their family holidays, he described it as a ‘place like no other. It’s kind of a different world down here, it’s beautiful’. He now holidays on Tresco, another of the islands in the archipelago 28 miles from the coast of Cornwall, with his own family.
