GETTY How does the Queen prefer her scones?

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Cream teas have been served since the 11th century and the scone topping dispute has split the nation ever since. Between Devon and Cornwall the issue is fiercely divisive, with Devonians preferring cream first and Cornish folk starting with jam – strawberry for preference. Cornwall is right, according to a former chef to the monarch. Jam always comes first at Buckingham Palace garden parties, by order of the Queen. Darren McGrady says a generous covering of jam is followed by cream on top, preferably Rodda’s Cornish clotted version. The jam is home-made from Balmoral when possible. Mr McGrady, who cooked for the Queen and Princess Diana for more than a decade, took to Twitter to reveal the protocol.

GETTY The Queen's garden parties are a famous for the afternoon tea

ALWAYS jam first on the scones – I spent 11 years making them for the royal tea tent. Have a look in the royal tea tent at how it should be done properly. Darren McGrady

The chef said: “Jam first or clotted cream first? Jam first at Buckingham Palace garden parties! The Queen always had homemade Balmoral jam first (Tiptree Little Scarlet when we ran out) with clotted cream on top at Buckingham Palace garden parties in the royal tea tent and all royal tea parties.” He told his followers: “ALWAYS jam first on the scones – I spent 11 years making them for the royal tea tent. Have a look in the royal tea tent at how it should be done properly.” He revealed the Queen was a particular fan of Cornish clotted cream. He said: “It was always a treat when the royal chefs got hold of Rodda’s Cream for the scones. “We’d order extra to stir into the rice pudding for the Queen the next day.” The scone topping row recently hit the headlines after a National Trust property in Cornwall published a poster advertising a cream tea event – with a picture of a scone with the cream on first.

GETTY The Queen also prefers Balmoral's own jam and pronounces 'scone' the Scottish way

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Lanhydrock House and Garden near Bodmin was accused of a culinary crime by those west of the river Tamar, which marks the border with Devon to the east, and there were even threats of a boycott of the tourist attraction. One trust member wrote: “The National Trust is in a mess. It’s jam first, you fools. My membership is well and truly over.” Another said: “Oh my! Not often does something rile me to comment but come on Lanhydrock, this is unacceptable. As a top Cornish destination you should know it is jam first!” Mr McGrady, who worked for the Royal Family from 1982 until 1993, has previously opened up about Princess Diana’s approach to treating her sons William and Harry, revealing she liked to “spoil them” with chocolate. “They loved banana flan, anything with banana really, banana ice cream,” he said. “They loved things like mixed grills, burgers, pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken and cream chicken sauce. They were royal but they still had children’s palates.”