1 Scene in ‘The Crown’ Shows the Very Specific Way the Queen Eats Scones
The Crown is one of the most critically-acclaimed Netflix original shows, a series that chronicles the highs and lows of the British royal family. The historical drama series debuted in 2016 and has been going strong since, with a total of four seasons and a fifth currently in development. While The Crown is based on historical facts, the show does take dramatic liberties with certain dialogue and situations, leaving fans with a lot to ponder. Interestingly enough, when it comes to the queen’s personal habits, producers on The Crown paid particular attention to detail – and in a recent Vanity Fair interview, an etiquette expert dishes on the unique way that the queen eats scones, which is featured in an episode of The Crown.
‘The Crown’ featured a scene where the queen ate a scone in the ‘Devon’ style
The first season of The Crown featured the queen’s marriage to Prince Philip, providing viewers with an intimate look at the personal lives and habits of the royal family. In one episode, fans were treated to an entertaining scene where Queen Elizabeth enjoys a low-key tea. The scene features the queen tucking into a scone, preparing it in a very precise fashion. According to etiquette expert Myka Meier, who recently sat down with Vanity Fair for a YouTube interview, the scene got one thing right. “The way that the Queen’s character puts that clotted cream on her scone…is very intentional,” Meier said.
“So in Cornwall, they actually put the jam on first, followed by the clotted cream on top,” Meier noted. “But in Devon, they put the clotted cream on first, followed by the jam. The Queen has always said that she goes the Devon root. Now the Duchess of Cornwall, funny enough, actually also goes the Devon root.”
Scones are a traditional treat in the royal family
Over the years, the queen’s scone preferences have made headlines. In early 2018, a former royal chef opened up about how the queen takes her scones. According to The Independent, The Crown accurately portrayed how Queen Elizabeth likes to eat scones, by placing a dollop of clotted cream on her scone and then dabbing some jam on top.
In January 2022, royal family chef Darren McGrady revealed just how important scones are to the royal family’s tea ritual. According to Woman and Home, McGrady said, “She’d always have afternoon tea wherever she was in the world. We’d flown out to Australia and were on the Royal Yacht. It was 5am but for the Queen, it was 5pm so my first job was making scones.”
The queen has very specific tastes and preferences in food
Queen Elizabeth might love a sweet treat with her afternoon tea, but the senior royal is pretty strict with the rest of her meals. According to Eat This, Not That, the queen follows a very healthy lifestyle, usually starting her day with some cold cereal or eggs. The monarch opts for high-protein, low-carb lunch options, such as salmon with spinach and zucchini or grilled chicken with salad. Her chef has admitted that she typically avoids starch at lunch and is very “disciplined.”
In addition to scones for afternoon tea, the queen also enjoys a simple cucumber sandwich, while dinner usually consists of grilled or poached fish alongside more vegetables and a simple salad. Special occasions call for more indulgence, such as pasta or potatoes – and the queen has been known to enjoy dessert during holidays and fancy dinners. In general, the queen keeps it on the lighter side and probably sticks with just one scone at tea, perfectly prepared Devonshire style.
