Following Lord de Tabley's death in 1827, Lady Georgina formed a close relationship with her late husband's nephew, Reverend Frederick Leicester, who had recently joined the household as a clergyman.

Their controversial decision to marry him in 1828, at a time when aunt-nephew unions were prohibited by the Church of England, ignited scandal but did not permanently damage Lady Georgina's standing among the aristocracy.

[4] Her father was descended from a French Huguenot family and her mother was the daughter of Sir William Chambers, architect to King George III.

After Lord de Tabley died in 1827, Georgina stayed briefly with her widowed sister-in-law Mrs Charles Leicester.

[1] News of Lady De Tabley and Reverend Leicester's marriage quickly spread through British high society and became a subject of criticism and gossip among aristocratic circles.

Creevey noted that the couple had sacrificed part of her (Georgiana) jointure and his (Frederick) clerical income by defying church prohibition against aunt-nephew unions.

He wrote:"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smythe Owen and I have lived in the most perfect harmony since 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, but other human being have I seen none, except the parson at church yesterday, whom I was in hopes to have seen more of.

On her part she forfeits £500 a year out of her jointure of £1500; and his diocesan, the Bishop of Lichfield, has given him notice he shall eject him from his living for marrying his aunt, which reduces his income to nothing.