[1][2] After his cousin William Hay, 6th Earl of Erroll died in 1541 leaving only a young daughter, George succeeded to the earldom and with it the family title of Lord High Constable of Scotland.

Instead, the crown negotiated for George to inherit, with the condition that he pay 4,000 merks to Helen, Dowager Countess of Erroll and to marry one of his sons to Jean Hay "at the King's pleasure.

Erroll claimed she had supported "broken men", landless rebels who stole his goods, but Margaret wrote it ought to be well known that she desired no harm or loss to him or their children.

[4] In April 1567, Erroll was a signatory to Ainslie's Tavern Band agreeing to the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots to the Earl of Bothwell.

In 1528, Hay married Margaret Robertson, daughter of Alexander Robertson of Struan, 5th chief of Clan Donnachaidh, and granddaughter of John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl and by her had nine children:[6] In 1561, the earl married Helen Bryson, daughter of Walter Bryson of Pitcullen, and had two more children: