The debate over how to properly assemble a scone has been reignited, with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, entering the fray after Prince William previously offered his verdict. The Duchess shared a video on her lifestyle brand As Ever's Instagram account showing freshly baked scones with cream spread first, followed by a spoonful of jam on top.
This places her firmly in the same camp as the late Queen Elizabeth II, whose preference was revealed by William during an appearance on Heart Breakfast. Asked about the correct order, he said his grandmother had taught him to put cream on first, then jam. “I love that I'm the authority on scones. I can only tell you what I learned from my grandmother,” he remarked.
However, the Duchess's position appears to differ from that of the Princess of Wales. At a tea party in 2023 marking the 75th anniversary of the NHS, Kate told TV presenter Mel Giedroyc that she always opted for jam first, then cream. William, on that occasion, joked that he would take whichever was closest to him.
In a separate revelation, Darren McGrady, a former chef to the Queen, recalled that scones were a staple of her afternoon tea wherever she was in the world. He noted that she would have plain scones one day and fruit scones the next, and that he once prepared them at 5am on the Royal Yacht Britannia because it was afternoon tea time in her schedule.
Meghan's video, captioned with details of Memorial weekend baking plans, featured her brand's strawberry or raspberry spread, orange blossom honey and flower sprinkles, though it was the order of cream and jam that captured attention.
