From mother with love: James Bond creator Ian Fleming was doomed to never the marry the woman he really loved – so made her 007’s mother instead, biographer says

• New biography on Bond creator says doomed love sculpted spy’s family set-up 

A new biography on James Bond’s creator Ian Fleming claims he based the superspy’s mother on a lover he had a failed engagement to marry.

Monique Panchaud de Bottens was today named as the inspiration for the fictional MI5 womaniser’s parent.

In Fleming’s novels Bond’s mother is called Monique Delacroix and has the same nationality as the real-life Ms de Bottens.

And Nicholas Shakespeare’s Ian Fleming: The Complete Man biography – which is being serialised in The Times – says the failed love is what made Bond so hard-hearted.

The book claims Fleming’s mother Eve did not approve of her son’s three-year engagement to Ms de Bottens.

She is said to have battled for it to break off and succeeded in October 1933 after threatening to cut off his allowance.

Shakespeare tracked down Ms Bottens’ son down for his book and found Charles de Mestral.

 He said: ‘We bought the Bond books in a bookstore, none came from him.

Ian Fleming with his mother Evelyn St. Croix Fleming in November 1957 crossing the road

In Fleming’s novels Bond’s mother is called Monique Delacroix and has the same nationality as the real-life Ms de Bottens

‘How Fleming addressed the relationship was by having her become the mother of James Bond.’

Ernest Cuneo, who was Fleming’s close friend, is also referenced by Shakespeare in his new book.

He says: ‘It seems to me that James Bond embodies Ian’s revenge for the terrible hurt.

‘Bond tumbles them into bed, leaves them with the memory of a savage ravishment which, ye gods, leaves them pining for Bond and forever bereft without him.’

They are theories that Shakespeare regards as reliable and credible.

He says: ‘She gives birth to Bond — that’s what Cuneo believed.

Daniel Craig starred as Fleming’s spy James Bond in Casino Royale Hollywood blockbuster

Nicholas Shakespeare’s Ian Fleming: The Complete Man biography makes the revelations

‘This is his first adult love affair and he’s prepared to be committed. By all accounts he didn’t fall out of love with her.

‘Clearly Fleming fell for her and she for him. But his dreadful mother doesn’t want him to marry a Swiss girl.’

Ms de Botten, who later married and became de Mestral, went on to work in an interior decorator’s shop in Switzerland.

Her son believes it was she who broke off the relationship with Fleming after being infuriated by his mother. 

Eve Fleming is thought to have forbid the pair from sleeping in the same bed under her roof.

And she is said to have refused to have lit the fire in Ms de Botten’s room leaving her cold.

The final straw is recounted as being when she ribbed her for having never tasted caviar at breakfast one morning.

Her son Mr de Mestral added: ‘The theory around here is that Monique is the one who broke the engagement.

‘I suppose we will never know for sure but it can be said that Monique was perfectly capable of doing so.’

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