This was a very sweet and easy read. Even though it is fiction I felt like I got a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth as a person and a dog lover.

Everyone thinks royal life is easy but I think it would be exhausting living in the public eye constantly and having every move criticized. Susan was a safe place for Elizabeth and with her she could just be herself. It was nice to read about those moments. I loved reading Susan's thoughts about things. The author did a great job of writing from the dog's perspective.

The ending was a bit abrupt for me and I wasn't expecting it to end in such a way but overall I found this book a nice, relaxing read and one I would pick up again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Mention dogs in relation to Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, and people will know you mean Welsh Corgis. What could be more natural than to focus a novel on those Corgis—most notably Susan, an eighteenth-birthday gift to the future queen and progenitor of all the dogs that followed?

Like many people born in the UK, I saw Elizabeth II as not just a queen but THE queen, the one and only. Over the years, she matured from a beautiful princess to an occasionally cranky grandmother, but even as her offspring tumbled into one scandal after another and threw the fate of the monarchy into question, she remained the embodiment of propriety and stability. “The Queen’s Faithful Companion” focuses on the early years, when queen and times were in alignment. It throws light on her relationship with Prince Philip, showing them as a young couple in love—if not entirely comfortable with the demands placed on them. And it reframes Elizabeth’s relationship with her sister, Princess Margaret, in thought-provoking ways.

But it’s the contrast between the relatively well-known story of Elizabeth and the perspectives of Susan and her caretaker, Hanna Penwyck that make this novel irresistible. Hanna—a fictional character based on the gamekeeper at Windsor Castle, Bill Fenwick, and his wife, Nancy, who cared for the royal Corgis—agrees somewhat reluctantly to give up her dreams of an outside career, but by doing so, she finds both her purpose in life and her own love story. Her pragmatic lower-class approach to the dogs and their needs puts the royals in their place, in a sense, offering a view of life at the castle that most readers will share.

Susan’s job is to offset the demands placed on the princess and especially the queen, reminding Elizabeth of the important things in life: a walk in the park, a cuddle at the fireside, the need for treats and comfort. Although it’s hard to believe that Susan could accurately convey the full text of conversations taking place around her, it’s a novel, after all, not a history book. Her reactions are always believably canine. She worries about smells and strange sounds and people moving into or away from her territory. Even when she bites someone (as the real Susan did on several occasions), it’s easy to see what prompts her response. Joe Biden’s Commander would no doubt appreciate that kind of understanding among his humans; Susan illustrates the difficulties of being a dog surrounded by strangers and kept away from the human she loves most.

The life of a dog is, alas, not long, and it can be hard to say goodbye even to fictional renditions of the pets who mean so much to us. Susan has the last word in this novel, and that is fitting. It still made me cry. But rest assured, lovers of “The Crown,” people who like dog stories in general, and readers like me, who still regard Elizabeth II as THE queen will adore this book. I’ll be hosting the author on my blog (link below) when the novel comes out in June 2024.

Such a touching book about the life of Queen Elizabeth II from the time she received her first Corgi puppy at age 18, through her marriage, death of her father, ascension to the throne, and birth of son Charles.

I have always adored the Queen and was intrigued to learn more of her life through this charming novel that offers much of the story via Corgi Susan and Hanna Penwyck, a fictionalized Keeper of the Queen’s dogs. A perfect tale for those who love the Queen, her famous Corgis, the Royal family, and endearing canine companions.

I received a copy of the book "The Queen's Faithful Companion" by Eliza Knight, from NetGalley. This book is about Queen Elizabeth and her faithful corgi companion "Susan" The dog was given to the Queen when she was 18 years old and was Princess Elizabeth. The boof focuses on three narratives. Princess Elizabeth{although it is not her talking} Susan the corgi dog and her view. and Hanna the young woman was was hired to be the caregiver of the Corgis. The book goes from Susan as a puppy and growing over the next dozen years with Elizabeth as she goes from an 18 year old to being Queen of Britain and her getting married and having her first two kids. Hanna the caregiver has her voice as well taking care of Susan and other Corgis the royals own. This was a nice book to read. I enjoy reading books that have dogs in them. I had heard of the Corgis the royals have owned for decades and the author Eliza Knight found a delightful way to bring this together to get an idea of what it could be like to be a dog who is a very important member to Queen Elizabeth.