Evelyn "Eve" Beatrice Sainte Croix Fleming (née Rose; 10 January 1885 – 27 July 1964)[1] was an English socialite known for her flamboyant beauty and being the mother of writer Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond.
Eve was born in Kensington, London, the daughter of George Alfred Sainte Croix Rose (31 January 1854 – 14 February 1926), a captain in the service of the Royal Buckinghamshire Militia (King's Own) and Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for Berkshire, son of Sir Philip Rose, 1st Baronet, by his marriage on 8 April 1880 to Beatrice Quain (1857 – 4 January 1911), the daughter of Sir Richard Quain, 1st Baronet.
After her husband's death in action during World War I, Eve Fleming inherited his large estate in trust, making her very wealthy.
She became the mistress of painter Augustus John, with whom she had a daughter, the cellist Amaryllis Fleming, and later lived with the Marquess of Winchester until his death.
[3] Eve Fleming's nickname from her son Ian was M, and Ian may have used his relationship with her as model for M, fictional head of Head of the Secret Intelligence Service and James Bond's boss.