Queen settles Britain's great scone debate

The queen takes her scones in the Cornish style, with the jam on before the cream. (Reuters)

For generations the people of Great Britain have been divided by a contentious issue: Which goes on a scone first, the jam or the cream? People have been eating scones with jam and cream since the 11th century, and they’ve probably been arguing about the topping order that whole time. Now a former royal chef reveals that at Buckingham Palace, the jam always goes first.

According to The Independent, the jam debate is especially fierce between Devon and Cornwall. People in Devon spread the cream on first, then add the jam. In Cornish cream tea, the jam goes first. The National Trust even had to issue a public apology earlier this month, after a Mother’s Day ad in Cornwall showed scones with the cream on first, Devon-style. Some people in Cornwall were very upset about that, but it will probably make them feel better to hear that the queen herself takes her scones in the Cornish style, with the jam on first.

Former royal chef Darren McGrady broke the news on Twitter, saying that the jam always goes on first at royal tea parties.

McGrady also specified that the jam was usually homemade from Balmoral when it was available. If the homemade jam ran out, the Queen ate Little Scarlet Strawberry Conserve from Tiptree with her scones and Earl Grey tea, which is one of her 10 favorite things to drink.