In 1791, Cassandra produced a series of circular illustrations of British monarchs for Jane's manuscript The History of England, which are noted to have resembled members of the Austen family more than royalty.

The other, an incomplete frontal portrait dated circa 1810,[3] was described by a family member as being "hideously unlike" Jane Austen's real appearance.

[4] George Austen was not wealthy and had supplemented his income as a country parson "by taking in pupils and tutoring them for Oxford".

[5] Fowle needed money to marry and went to the Caribbean with a military expedition as chaplain to his cousin, General Lord Craven.

Some scholars, including Devoney Looser, believe that, most likely, these letters, of very personal and intimate content, may have put the writer in a bad light, as had happened to Frances Burney in the 1840s.

Frank, who was still a serving Admiral at the age of 71, was preparing to depart to take command of the Royal Navy's North American Station and was obliged to leave his stricken sister at his home (Portsdown Lodge, Widley near Portsmouth) in the care of another brother, Henry.

Her body was returned to her home village of Chawton for burial at St. Nicholas' Church alongside her mother.