The Spirit of Ecstasy, also known as 'Emily', 'Silver-Lady' or 'Flying Lady', was designed by Charles Robinson Sykes and symbolizes a secret love between John Walter Edward Scott-Montagu, (2nd Lord Montagu of Beaulieu) and his mistress, and model for the mascot, Eleonora Velasco Thornton.

Thornton was 22 years old when she became Scott-Montagu's secretary. They had a secret affair for more than ten years. Thornton's low social status was a barrier to marriage. Scott-Montagu, meanwhile, married Cecil Victoria Constance, but the secret love affair with Thornton continued.

Thornton was killed in the sinking of the SS Persia on December 30, 1915, when she accompanied Scott-Montagu on a voyage to India. The ship was torpedoed by a German submarine near Crete, without any warning, and sank. Scott-Montagu survived this disaster.