With the Almanach de Gotha’s return in 1998, after a hiatus of more than 50 years, Sir Stephen Runciman wrote in the Spectator In this present age, which we are often told sees the twilight of royalty, it is comforting to be able to welcome the reappearance of the most distinguished of genealogical almanacs.

The 2012 edition follows the successful format of previous editions with families listed by rank in their corresponding parts. Births, marriages and deaths of all living members of the Gotha have been updated and it remains the only publication to list all the members of all the imperial, royal, princely and ducal houses and the counts of the Holy Roman Empire. Even family disputes are handled by the careful noting of competing claims. This new edition also sees a full list of the households of the courts of Europe, diplomatic listings and a full entry for the Holy See.

This is the official and authorised publication. The most comprehensive listing of its kind, with an impeccable pedigree, the book remains an essential reference for genealogists, libraries and scholars. There is and never has been a comparable source, a book once described as the second most important ever published .