Serbia's Decoration was instituted in her honour on 7 April 1902. This medal was awarded to ladies for "achieving meritorious charitable work.” Assassination The rumour concerning the royal succession led to the couple's assassination. On the night of 10–11 June 1903, a group of army officers invaded the royal palace, led by Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijević and others. Troops led by other officers involved in the conspiracy were deployed near the palace, and the royal guards did not offer effective resistance during the confusion after the electric lighting of the building was turned off. Initially the conspirators were unable to find Aleksandar and Draga. However an aide of the king was captured and, either out of sympathy for the conspiracy or out of fear for his own life, revealed that they were hiding in a large built-in wardrobe off their bedroom. Another account says that Aleksandar did not shut the secret door properly. Emerging partially dressed, the couple were murdered with sword thrusts and pistol shots by the officers, some of whom were reportedly drunk. The bodies were mutilated and afterwards thrown from a palace balcony onto piles of garden manure. Draga's two brothers, Nikodije and Nikola, were executed by firing squad on the same day. Portrayals Draga Mašin was played by Magda Sonja in the 1920 Austrian silent film Queen Draga. In the 1932 American film A Woman Commands she was portrayed by Pola Negri. She was also played by Ljiljana Blagojević in the 1995 Serbian mini-series The End of Obrenović Dynasty. Honours National honours Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Miloš the Great (5 August 1900). Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the White Eagle (5 August 1900). Annotations References Sources External links 1864 births 1903 deaths 1903 murders in Europe 19th-century Serbian royalty 20th-century Serbian royalty 19th-century Serbian women 20th-century Serbian women Yugoslav queens consort Obrenović dynasty People from Gornji Milanovac Assassinated Serbian people People executed by defenestration Murdered Serbian royalty People murdered in Serbia Deaths by firearm in Serbia Burials at St. Mark's Church, Belgrade Female murder victims