The debate over the correct way to enjoy a cream tea has persisted for generations, with both Devon and Cornwall advocating staunchly for their own traditions. Now, Prince William has stirred the pot by revealing that his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, favored the Devonian method—spreading cream on her scones before adding jam.

This disclosure, made during a visit to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in his capacity as Duke of Cornwall, is certain to fuel the ongoing rivalry. Many had assumed that the late Queen preferred the Cornish way, which opts for jam before cream.

Adding to the intrigue, the Queen’s former chef had previously asserted that Buckingham Palace always adhered to the Cornish tradition during their garden parties. Remarkably, such events passed without a single complaint from Her Late Majesty, suggesting her quiet endorsement of the practice.

Prince William shared this insight during an appearance on Heart FM’s breakfast show when he was asked about his own preference while being offered scones. This revelation is bound to keep the debate alive, as enthusiasts from both sides continue to advocate for their regional customs.

In an interview with Heart FM’s breakfast show, William was offered some scones and asked which way he preferred them.

The royal said: ‘I love that I’m the authority on the scones. I can only tell you what I learned from my grandmother, and she would definitely, she would have the cream on first.’

But he added, diplomatically: ‘It tastes delicious either way.’ 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’.

Prince William waded into the scone debate while appearing on Heart radio’s breakfast programme

The Duke of Cornwall said his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, preferred her scones the ‘Devonian way’, with cream first then jam

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.

On Friday William took a trip on the island’s new pilot boat and was left in stitches by a cheeky care home resident.

Dot Elvin, 94, asked him ‘are you coming to stay?’ before interjecting ‘I don’t care,’ when the prince pointed out there was only one bed.

In a tragic incident at a San Diego mosque this week, one of the teenagers involved in the fatal attack had previously caught the attention of law enforcement. Last year, concerns were raised about Caleb Vazquez, who exhibited disturbing behaviors and expressed admiration for Nazi ideologies. This led to a significant police intervention, as court records reveal.

During a welfare check at the Vazquez residence, officers noted Caleb’s suspicious activities, including his fixation on Nazis and mass shooters. Consequently, on January 29, 2025, they obtained a court order to remove 26 firearms from the home. This action was in line with a 2014 California law that permits the confiscation of weapons from individuals deemed a threat.

Initially, Caleb’s father, Marco Vazquez, resisted police requests to inspect the storage of his firearms. However, it was later confirmed through an affidavit signed by Marco that the family had already moved the guns to a secure storage facility several days before the police’s arrival.

Authorities have disclosed that Caleb, 18, and his accomplice, Cain Clark, 17, connected online and underwent a process of radicalization together. Despite this information, law enforcement has not provided further details about the nature of their relationship or specified which weapons were involved in the shooting. The investigation continues as the community grapples with the aftermath of this senseless act of violence.

Authorities have said Vazquez, 18, met Cain Clark, 17, online, where they both were radicalized. Police haven’t shared more details about how they knew each other, or specified whose weapons were used in the shooting.

Cain Clark’s mother told law enforcement that weapons were missing from her home on Monday, kicking off an hourslong search for the teens before they committed the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego and then killed themselves, police said.

Court filings indicate mental health struggles

Court filings show Vazquez decided to “secure all sharp knives in the home” and removed from the house the firearms that they had previously kept in a secure gun safe into an outside storage facility. The affidavit also mentions unspecified serious allegations against their son, who was also previously committed to an involuntary psychiatric hospitalization. The court filings, first reported by The New York Times, didn’t say what he was admitted for.

The Vazquez family said in a statement released Thursday that Caleb Vazquez was on the autism spectrum and had grown to resent parts of his identity — but didn’t specify what aspects were challenging to him.

“Coming from a diverse family that not only includes immigrants but Muslims as well, we always taught the importance of acceptance, compassion, and love for one another. We are proud of the different backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and religions within our family and community,” their statement said.

“We believe this, combined with exposure to hateful rhetoric, extremist content, and propaganda spread across parts of the internet, social media, and other online platforms, contributed to his descent into radicalized ideologies and violent beliefs,” said their statement, released through their attorney Colin Rudolph.

His family said they tried to get him help

In writings by Vazquez and Clark that expressed white supremacist views, Vazquez wrote of having “some mental health issues” and being rejected by women. They suggest both teenagers idolized previous shooters who have died while carrying out mass shootings. The writings expressed hatred toward Jewish people, Muslims, Black people and a range of other groups.

Clark was enrolled in a virtual high school in the district, Canning said.

Police began searching for the teens on Monday after Clark’s mother called to say her son was suicidal and ran away. She told them he was dressed in camouflage, had taken multiple weapons from the home, and was with an acquaintance, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said earlier this week.

Officers were still interviewing the mother about places the teens might be when the shooting began at the county’s largest mosque.

De-radicalizing people is becoming more difficult

Vazquez’s father said in a 2025 court statement that his family made a concerted effort to steer Caleb Vazquez back onto the right track. He said when they locked away their weapons, they were in communication with his school, were monitoring his social media presence closely and he was in therapy twice a week.

“We observe all of his online activities, who he talks to, what he talks about, and who he is friends with,” Marco Vazquez wrote, emphasizing that he didn’t support his son’s ideology.

Some experts say it’s increasingly difficult to help people drawn to the kind of radicalism Vazquez and Clark expressed.

Samira Benz works for the Violence Prevention Network, which conducts interventions when people are radicalized into believing in violent extremism. Benz said the work has become increasingly complicated as the internet blurs ideologies and creates niche, meme-based languages that can be fleeting and hard to decipher.

“Even if a parent is looking at the phone of their child, they don’t necessarily see something bad is going on,” Benz said.

___

A graduate’s cap bearing the message “Learn to Change the World” was a standout sight during Harvard University’s commencement ceremony on May 29, 2025, held in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The celebratory event took place amidst increasing tensions between Harvard and the Trump administration, following the administration’s directive to terminate federal contracts worth around $100 million.

‘IMPACTFUL MOVE:’ In a significant initiative to address longstanding grade inflation, Harvard faculty have decided to limit the allocation of ‘A’ grades to 20% of students.

‘CHOOSING LIFE:’ A middle school student in Colorado claims she was prohibited from presenting a poem with a pro-life theme to her class.

‘QUESTIONABLE FUNDS:’ A substantial grant linked to the Southern Poverty Law Center is under scrutiny after a watchdog group revealed its connections to middle school programs.

The Southern Poverty Law Center wields considerable influence over educational programs. In a related matter, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and SPLC interim President and CEO Bryan Fair are featured in a composite image, as the Justice Department advances legal action against the SPLC.

GRAD DAY BIAS: Democrats outnumber Republicans 6-to-1 among college graduation speakers, report finds

SPEECH SILENCED: Las Vegas school district sued for allegedly expelling student for pro-ICE signs deemed racist

During a rally in New York, President Trump announced that Welles Remy Crowther, known as the “Man in the Red Bandana,” would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Crowther is celebrated as a hero of the September 11 attacks for his selfless actions in guiding victims to safety from the South Tower before losing his life.

The announcement was made on Friday in Rockland County, alongside Representative Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who had advocated for Crowther’s recognition in anticipation of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Lawler praised Crowther’s bravery and urged the president to honor his legacy.

At just 24, Crowther was working as an equities trader and volunteered as a firefighter. His courage became legendary when survivors of the attacks shared stories of a man using a red bandana to shield his face from smoke as he led them through the chaos.

“Thanks to the efforts of Bruce, Mike, and our esteemed political leaders, we are honoring Welles with the Presidential Medal of Freedom as we near the 25th anniversary of that fateful day on September 11, 2001,” Trump announced to an appreciative audience in Rockland County.

“It’s the highest civilian award, second only to the Congressional Medal of Honor. Welles has now been granted one of these prestigious honors. I want to commend his wonderful mother for raising such an extraordinary young man,” Trump added, drawing applause from the crowd.

“Boy, what bravery, saved those people and became a legend in a sense, nobody else would have done what he did. So he’s going to be getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

The president subsequently brought up Welles’ mother, Alison Crowther, who addressed the pro-Trump crowd momentarily, describing the award bestowed on her son as a “huge honor.” 

“It’s such a beautiful thing that even 25 years later, Welles’ light still shines brightly,” she told the crowd, noting she has traveled the world telling her son’s story to places as far away as Jordan.

Alison Crowther remarked that in these travels, when she tells children Welles’ story, “They’re tremendously moved and inspired … to be better people.”

Welles, an equities trader who worked on the 104th floor of the South Tower, was in his office when the first aircraft hit the North Tower that morning.

He left his mother a voicemail shortly after the towers were struck, letting her know he was okay, but his body was later found amid the rubble.

According to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Welles “made three trips to the sky lobby, saving as many people as he could, until the burning building collapsed,” with some reports indicating he saved up to 18 lives that day. As he did so, Welles covered his nose and mouth with a red bandana he kept at his desk.

That red bandana is currently displayed at the 9/11 museum in New York City. The Tunnels to Towers Foundation, a nonprofit that supports first responders and their families, including those who became victims after 9/11, said Welles always kept a red bandana at his desk.

The foundation recounted how, when he was asked why he always carried the red bandana, Welles replied: “With this red bandana, I’m going to change the world.” His father, the foundation said, told Welles to always carry a red bandana on him for “messy jobs.”

“People can live 100 years and not have the compassion, the wherewithal to do what he did,” a survivor rescued by Crowther has said.

Brad Pitt has always been a figure of striking allure, and his recent appearance in Los Angeles alongside his girlfriend Ines de Ramon only underscored his timeless appeal. Despite their 29-year age difference, Pitt seemed every bit the leading man, sporting a stylish mustache and a jawline that defines Hollywood charm.

Pitt’s influence extends beyond the silver screen, as evidenced by a reported surge in interest among men seeking cosmetic procedures to achieve a chiseled jawline like his. This trend followed the release of his blockbuster film “F1” last summer, where he portrayed the character of Sonny Hayes, a down-and-out racing driver.

At 62, Pitt continues to be a cultural icon, admired by both younger and older generations. His enduring appeal ensures that people still aspire to emulate him, and many remain captivated by his charisma.

However, behind the glitz and glamour, Pitt faces personal turmoil. Despite his widespread popularity, he is currently estranged from all six of his children from his previous marriage to Angelina Jolie. This includes their adopted children Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, and Zahara, 21, as well as his biological kids Shiloh, 19, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 17.

Those familiar with the situation suggest that this heartbreaking rift with his children is largely due to the influence of Jolie. As Pitt navigates the complexities of his personal life, his public persona remains as captivating as ever.

Her actions, they say, mean the most desired man in Hollywood is now a total pariah to his own children.

A friend confirms this state of affairs to me, saying: ‘There has been a campaign of alienation [by Jolie] which has been successful. 

‘The antagonism is huge. He has been alienated from the kids completely. It is devastating to him.’

Brad Pitt, 62, pictured with girlfriend Ines de Ramon, who is 29 years his junior, at an event in Los Angeles on Tuesday night

Pitt and Jolie (pictured together at the Academy Awards in 2014) had one of Hollywood’s highest-profile romances until the pair’s shock split in 2016 

Jolie with their children, from left, Shiloh, Zahara, Vivienne, Maddox and Knox

Only the twins are under 18 and thus required to submit to court-mandated visits from Pitt – a condition of his divorce settlement with Jolie.

Despite this, he’s barely seen them at all this year. 

That’s partly because he has been working – but also because, like the rest of his children, the twins want nothing to do with him. 

As they turn 18 in July, one can imagine whatever limited contact they have with their father may dry up further after that.

The incident which caused this brutal schism took place in September 2016 and saw the actor come within a well-groomed whisker of being cancelled completely. 

It was alleged that, while the family were travelling on a private jet, a drunken Pitt poured beer and wine on his family, told the children their mother was ‘crazy’, punched the ceiling of the plane, shoved Jolie and ‘choked’ a child. 

He has always denied all allegations of domestic abuse.

He has since recovered his career to a degree, which reflects the fact that he has many close and powerful friends in Tinseltown. 

Indeed, he won the first acting Oscar of his career for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood in 2020.

But his personal life remains indelibly marked by that incident and its aftermath.

This was all too clear after his adoptive daughter Zahara graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday. 

Receiving a BA in psychology, she was cheered by Jolie and some of her siblings – but there was no sign of Pitt.

Celebrity gossip website TMZ reported: ‘Brad Pitt’s estrangement from his daughter Zahara has not cooled off… with sources telling TMZ that the actor did not reach out ahead of her graduation from Spelman.’

It went on: ‘A source close to Angelina tells TMZ, “Zahara’s mom and siblings, who have been involved over the four very special years, were present and cheering her and her Spelman sisters on”.

‘The source added, “Nothing prevented him from showing up for her. Or ever visiting her. The day was about all she accomplished. Not whether he was willing to attend”. 

‘Sources tell us Brad didn’t contact anyone about getting a ticket to her graduation ceremony last weekend.’

Receiving a BA in psychology, Zahara was cheered by Jolie and some of her siblings – but there was no sign of Pitt

Zahara – like brothers Pax and Maddox – has not had a close relationship with Pitt since his split from Angelina in 2016

This story has provoked fury in the Pitt camp, with one insider telling me: ‘You can’t have it both ways – to promote a complete estrangement and then criticise someone for not going to an event when you’ve made sure that they would not be welcome. 

‘That’s not a situation which he created’.

Words such as ‘evil’ and ‘manipulative’ are also thrown around when referring to Jolie. 

But Zahara evidently has a deep bond with her actress and humanitarian mother. 

Speaking at a sorority event this month, she called Jolie ‘the most selfless, loving and understanding woman’.

Zahara – like brothers Pax and Maddox – has not had a close relationship with Pitt since his split from Angelina in 2016. 

Adopted at seven months by Jolie, then by Pitt during their relationship, Zahara removed Pitt from her last name when she was in college and began going by Zahara Jolie. The same is true of all the children.

First to drop Pitt’s name appears to have been Maddox, the Cambodian orphan whom Jolie adopted when she was briefly married to actor Billy Bob Thornton.

It was Maddox who was at the centre of conflict on that fateful jet flight.

Pitt was said to have accused his wife of ‘ruining’ the family because of the way she was raising Maddox, whom he referred to as a ‘Columbine kid’ – an apparent allusion to the notorious 1999 school shooting. Maddox is widely said to openly detest Pitt.

Next came Pax – adopted by Jolie in 2007 and later by Pitt – who called Brad a ‘terrible person’ in a social media rant in 2016. 

He added: ‘You have no consideration or empathy toward your four youngest children who tremble in fear when in your presence. 

‘You will never understand the damage you have done to my family because you’re incapable of doing so.’  

He also goes by Pax Jolie in his work as a film producer.

Jolie and Pitt’s son Maddox Jolie has dropped from his father’s last name, months after his sister Shiloh made the same move; seen in 2013

Last year, Shiloh (R), who was born Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, legally changed her name to Shiloh Jolie shortly after turning 18

Hard-partying Pax ran into the back of a car while riding his e-bike last year, ending up in intensive care with ‘complex trauma’ including a brain bleed and head and hip injury. 

Witnesses reportedly thought Pax – who wasn’t wearing a helmet – was dead and it is said that first responders saved his life. Jolie was by his side in hospital and all five siblings visited – but not Pitt.

Shiloh, who for a time was known as ‘John’ and dressed as a boy, filed a petition in court to legally drop Pitt as her last name on her 18th birthday. She is a talented dancer and choreographer.

Sources in the Jolie camp claimed that she had found and funded a lawyer herself to cut out the Pitt name – a cruel swipe at her father if that is the case.

Even Vivienne, not yet 18, chose to go under the name of Jolie when she was involved in a musical adaptation last year.

It seems Pitt, though, has not given up hope of reuniting with all of his children, adopted and biological. 

A friend says: ‘He continues to hope that one day a reconciliation is possible.’

The example of Alec Baldwin, who once infamously raged at daughter Ireland that she was a ‘thoughtless pig’, is cited. 

That father-daughter relationship was destroyed in the fallout of a toxic divorce between Baldwin and actress Kim Basinger, but he and Ireland are now close. 

‘There’s a hope that in time they will all find each other,’ I am told.

Sadly, though, it seems further division is inevitable, as Jolie plans to leave LA in the very near future. 

This month, she put her historic Beaux-Arts mansion up for sale. Purchased immediately after their split, it is on sale for a shade under $30million.

Pax, Jolie, Zahara and Maddox in New York in September 2024

Her plan appears to be to leave LA, where Pitt chiefly lives, and split her time between Europe – most likely Paris – and Cambodia, a country with which she feels a kinship and from where she adopted Maddox. She already has a house there. Some of the adult children will stay behind in New York, where they are based in an apartment in the city.

Jolie told The Hollywood Reporter in August 2024 of her plans to leave the city as soon as her youngest children hit their milestone 18th birthday – now a matter of weeks away – as her residency there was a stipulation in her custody agreement with Pitt.

‘I grew up in this town. I am here because I have to be here from a divorce but as soon as they’re 18, I’ll be able to leave,’ Jolie said, before explaining that she has not yet decided where she will settle down.

‘When you have a big family, you want them to have privacy, peace, safety… that humanity that I found across the world is not what I grew up with here. [After Los Angeles] I’ll spend a lot of time in Cambodia. I’ll spend time visiting my family members wherever they may be in the world,’ she continued.

She hinted France might be the place to settle last year, saying: ‘I find it very enriching as an artist and as a woman to be in France. I feel that more of myself comes out here. The conversations seem deeper and more enriching to me.’

Since their divorce in 2024 – they were married ten years previously, after reportedly getting together while Pitt was married to first wife Jennifer Aniston – Jolie seems to have been single, apart from a dalliance with Canadian singer The Weeknd in 2021.

Meanwhile, Pitt has been dating jewellery designer Ines since 2022. They have been living together for more than a year and went ‘red carpet official’ at the premiere of the film Wolfs at the Venice film festival two years ago.

Maddox seen above on Pitt’s shoulders in 2006 while Jolie carries Zahara in her arms 

Fluent in French, English, German, Spanish and Italian, Ines is a sophisticated divorcee from a wealthy European background. 

With a business degree from the University of Geneva, and knowledgeable about wine, fashion and music, one imagines that she more than holds her own at any high-powered Hollywood dinner.

And there will be many of those, as Pitt’s career has never been on better ground. F1 was the highest grossing film of his career, introducing him to a new, younger audience and earning him $40million. 

‘He is without question one of the biggest movie stars in the world,’ says an associate. ‘No question – and he does not take that for granted.’

Meanwhile, he has three films in the can, two of which are ready to release and attracting awards chatter. 

Chief among them is Heart Of The Beast, a gritty survival drama in which he plays a man who crashes his plane in Alaska, with only his dog for company. 

It’s said to showcase him as a serious actor, much as Tom Hanks’ Cast Away did, bringing Hanks an Oscar nomination in 2001.

The question at this point, then, is whether his ongoing serious romance will lead to Pitt’s third marriage.

Alas, the answer is a firm ‘no’. Marriage, say Pitt’s camp, is not on the cards. Although Pitt and de Ramon are very happy, and he enjoys the ‘peace’ and ‘support’ of his ‘easygoing’ girlfriend, friends say they can’t see him getting married again or having more children.

‘He has a great partner who he appreciates but there is no rush in that direction,’ says a source.

Given the heartbreak over his children with Jolie, who could blame him?

In an unsettling incident on Friday morning, an Indiana sheriff’s deputy found himself in a life-threatening situation after being shot three times in a hospital emergency room. The assailant was a motorist stranded on the road, whom the deputy had initially stopped to assist. Authorities later discovered that the individual might have been linked to an earlier crime.

Deputy Jon Samuelson, a dedicated member of the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office with 12 years of service, was urgently airlifted to South Bend Memorial Hospital following the shooting. His condition is currently critical. The suspected shooter, identified as Sharod Grafton Jr., was swiftly apprehended in a wooded area near the hospital shortly after the incident unfolded.

The chain of events began around 6:45 a.m. when 33-year-old Deputy Samuelson was en route to a training session. Spotting Grafton, a Chicago resident, stranded on State Road 2, he decided to offer assistance. The officer later transported Grafton to Franciscan Hospital in Michigan City as per the motorist’s request.

This shocking occurrence echoes the recent tragedy involving a North Carolina police officer, who was fatally shot in a separate emergency room incident. The law enforcement community remains on high alert, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of their duties.

LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office deputy Jon Samuelson was shot three times on Friday inside an Indiana hospital by Sharod Grafton, Jr., police said.  (Indiana State Police)

“Once at the hospital, the officer learned that the subject may have been involved in an earlier criminal incident,” Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield told reporters. “The officer returned inside the hospital where an altercation took place in the emergency room between the suspect and himself, which resulted in the suspect producing a firearm and shooting the officer.”

Authorities did not specify the crime Grafton is allegedly connected to.

Grafton fled into a nearby wooded area but was quickly arrested, authorities said. A handgun believed to have been in his possession was found, police said.

SEA OF BLUE FLOODS CHICAGO FUNERAL FOR SLAIN OFFICER AS KILLING FUELS OUTRAGE OVER SOFT-ON-CRIME POLICIES

Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield talks to reporters about a sheriff’s deputy who was shot hours earlier inside a hospital. (WFLD)

“This is a senseless shooting that didn’t have to take place,” Fifield said. “Our officers and deputies from the La Porte County Sheriff’s Department and all over the state of Indiana and Illinois risk their lives every day. This officer thought he was helping a stranded motorist and it turned into this. So once again, he was out helping somebody and it turned into this.”

Samuelson, who is married with no children, comes from a “long lineage of law enforcement,” police said. His grandfather was the chief of police for the city of La Porte, and his father is a retired Michigan City police officer, authorities said.

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office called the shooting an “isolated incident” and said there was no immediate threat to the public. The Indiana State Police are leading the investigation into the shooting.

Charges are pending against Grafton, who is being held in the Porter County Jail.

“La Porte County friends and neighbors, we are asking for our community to rise up, rally together, and lift Deputy Jon Samuelson and his family in prayer and support during this incredibly challenging time,” La Porte County Sheriff Sheriff Ronald Heeg. 

The Indiana State Police is investigating the shooting of a sheriff’s deputy by a gunman inside a hospital.  (Indiana State Police)

In a statement, Franciscan Health said the safety and health of its patients are always the top priority.

“The emergency department remains on ambulance bypass, but walk-in patients are being accepted through the main entrance to the hospital,” the hospital said. “Franciscan Physician Network medical offices on site are closed at this time. All other services and departments remain open as normal.”

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