Meghan Markle posts a photo of Beagle Mia as she pauses to reassess her first year.

Meghan Markle has turned to her family pet to promote her lifestyle brand, As Ever, just days after announcing a major pause in its operations. The Duchess of Sussex shared a rare photo of her rescue beagle, Mia, on Instagram as uncertainty grows over the company’s next move.

The image, posted on Wednesday via the official As Ever account, shows nine-year-old Mia inspecting a basket of freshly harvested vegetables from Meghan’s garden at her Montecito home. In the caption, Meghan wrote: “The unofficial quality inspector of this morning’s garden haul.”

With her nose buried deep in a woven bag filled with vibrant broccoli, carrots, corn, squash, spring onions, and fresh herbs, Mia looked every bit the curious companion. The post quickly drew attention not just for its homely charm, but for its timing.

Meghan had only recently confirmed that the company would “step back” to reflect on its first year and analyse its performance. Speaking to The Fast Company, she explained that no new As Ever products would launch until the first quarter of 2026. The pause, she said, would allow her to “assess what we’ve built” and decide the brand’s future direction.

Though As Ever launched just months ago with a range of artisanal jams, honeys, and teas, the Duchess revealed that demand far outstripped supply. The initial drop sold out within 45 minutes. Since then, speculation about a potential expansion into fashion has grown, fuelled further by Meghan’s own comments.

“I’ve always found fashion to be an interesting space,” she hinted in the same interview, without confirming any specific plans.

Still, fans hoping for a restock of the brand’s signature strawberry jam—one of the products that made headlines upon launch—may be disappointed. Meghan recently suggested it may not return at all, saying she’s keen to explore other avenues.

Against this backdrop of reassessment, the photo of Mia served as both a brand moment and a subtle reminder of the Duchess’s values. The beagle was rescued in 2022 from an animal testing facility by the Sussexes and first appeared in their family Christmas card last year.

In the picture shared this week, Mia embodies the As Ever aesthetic: rooted in home life, sustainability, and understated luxury. The image plays into the brand’s emphasis on organic living, simple pleasures, and emotional storytelling—pillars of Meghan’s business vision.

But there’s no doubt the brand now faces a pivotal moment. Meghan’s decision to pause launches reflects both high ambitions and careful strategy. While her name alone drew global attention to As Ever, maintaining its relevance without consistent product drops could prove challenging.

Still, if the Duchess has shown anything, it’s that she knows how to command interest. A simple image of a dog nosing around garden vegetables made headlines globally—exactly the kind of quiet, calculated move that keeps the public guessing and the brand in the spotlight.

With Mia now the face of As Ever’s unofficial “quality control,” Meghan appears to be drawing her audience back to the heart of the brand—family, nature, and mindful living. The real question is what direction she’ll take next once the pause ends.

Until then, it seems the Duchess is happy to let the vegetables—and Mia—do the talking.