Meghan Markle's 'Garden Haul' Raises Eyebrows As Eagle-Eyed Fans Nitpick Duchess's 'Clean' Produce

Meghan Markle recently shared a photo of her beagle inspecting a basket of produce sourced directly from her garden.

However, thanks to eagle-eyed royal fans, the image has since sparked skepticism online over the out-of-season harvest and spotless vegetables.

This comes as Meghan Markle announced plans to pause her lifestyle brand, As Ever, to evaluate its growth, with likely no new products until 2026.

The Duchess of Sussex posted a photo of her rescue beagle, Mia, nose-deep in a basket brimming with colorful fruits and vegetables, including broccoli, carrots, corn, squash, red peppers, spring onions, and herbs, presumably picked from her lush Montecito garden.

"The unofficial quality inspector of this morning's garden haul," she wrote in the caption, referencing Mia's curious inspection of the items.

However, some sharp-eyed netizens swiftly pointed out a few inconsistencies in the photo.

According to the Daily Mail, one Reddit user questioned how such a variety could all be grown at once, joking, "She's so good at gardening she can grow all things from all seasons at once."

Another noted that there wasn't even a "speck of dirt" on any of the produce, stating: "I've never seen vegetables so clean after harvesting."

Some observers also raised doubts about the timing of Meghan's supposed harvest, noting that May is typically too early in the season for certain crops to be ready, especially in California's climate.

Meghan's garden haul post on As Ever's social media page comes after she shared her plans to "step back" and assess the brand's journey so far.

In a new interview with Fast Company, Meghan revealed she's taking time to evaluate what As Ever has accomplished since its launch earlier this year and what it might grow into.

The first batch of As Ever products, including honey, jam, and teas, sold out in just 45 minutes after launch. However, the Duchess of Sussex has noted that her popular jam, which garnered buzz during the brand's debut, might not be restocked.

Instead, she's focused on analyzing feedback and performance from the initial launch to determine the next direction ahead of 2026.

As Meghan looks ahead to the future of her brand, she's considering various paths, from narrowing her focus to one product category to expanding into a broader range.

For now, though, the duchess feels it's best to build As Ever around a single core idea.

"My heart is very deeply in my home," she told Fast Company. "Everything comes from being rooted in the love story of your home and garden, and then you can imagine different verticals coming out of that."

However, Meghan left the door open for exploring fashion down the line, adding: "The category of fashion is something I will explore at a later date because I do think that's an interesting space for me."

Meanwhile, Lemonada Media, the producer of Meghan's "Confessions of a Female Founder" podcast, recently revealed that a surprise bonus episode is on the way.

The announcement, which was posted on social media, teased a powerful guest for the episode: "We had just wrapped 'Confessions of a Female Founder' and packed up the mics — until a call came in that we couldn't ignore. On the line was one of the most influential and inspiring matriarchs in culture today. Naturally, we hit record."

Meghan also teased the news, saying in the promo, "Next week, we've got one more very special interview for you. A bonus episode. Because when a matriarch calls, and when this matriarch calls, oh, you answer."

While her identity was initially kept under wraps, fans instantly recognized the unmistakable voice as that of Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles.

Meghan even gave a subtle nod to the guest's Southern roots, saying, "This one is so special, y'all," possibly referencing Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" era.

Meghan's bond with Knowles and the extended Knowles-Carter family stretches back several years. Her admiration for Beyoncé is well-documented and mutual.

According to People Magazine, the two women first met in person at the 2019 "Lion King" premiere, where Beyoncé famously greeted Meghan with, "My princess."

Since then, their friendship has quietly flourished behind the scenes, marked by thoughtful gestures, from trading parenting advice to exchanging birthday messages.

After Meghan and Prince Harry's emotional Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021, Beyoncé even reached out privately to offer support.

"I still can't believe she knows who I am," Meghan confessed in her "Harry & Meghan" Netflix docuseries.

Recently, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped out for a rare night off parenting duty to attend Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" concert at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Meghan gave fans a peek at their evening, posting sweet snapshots on Instagram, including one where she borrowed Harry's hat and another of the couple enjoying the show arm in arm.