Lord Exeter married Lady Georgina Sophia Pakenham, daughter of Thomas Pakenham, 2nd Earl of Longford, on 17 October 1848. They had at least nine children:
Lady Louisa Alexandrina Cecil (d. 1950), who died unmarried.
Lady Frances Emily Cecil (d. 1951), who died unmarried.
Lord Exeter died in July 1895, aged 70, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son Brownlow, who also became a government minister. The Marchioness of Exeter died in March 1909.[1]Lady Angela Forbes wrote in her 1919 memoir, Memories and Base Details, of how she "[stood] in wholesome dread, in company, I may say, with her own family" of the formidable Marchioness. "Not to speak until you were spoken to, was a doctrine I did not at all appreciate, but one rigidly enforced at Burleigh! Prayers were read daily by Lady Exeter in the beautiful old chapel adjoining the house ... [on] one fatal occasion I giggled – and Lady Exeter stopped dead in the middle of a sentence, looking straight at me. 'When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness' – and then there was a horrid pause. No notice was taken as we went out, but a little later a message came that 'her ladyship would like to see me.' My outward bravado was not in the least indicative of my feelings as I stood in front of her listening to a severe lecture couched in the most satirical language, whilst her two daughters stood, dragon-like, on either side of her."[8]
