Protasova was the daughter of Senator Stepan Feodorovich Protasov and Anisya Nikitishna, née Orlova, and the cousin of Alexej Orlov with whom she is reported to have had a relationship.

[citation needed] Protasova replaced Countess Praskovya Bruce as Catherine's confidante and first maid-of-honour in 1779 and became lady-in-waiting in 1785.

[citation needed] She and her nieces were also painted by Angelica Kauffman in 1788, based on six sketches sent to her in Rome by Prince Nikolay Yusupov—in her journal of orders, she admitted that she did not know if the commission came from Yusupov or Catherine herself.

[1] The painting entered the Hermitage Museum sometime between 1788 and its being mentioned in an inventory in 1797, whilst on 1 January 1792 it was engraved by James Walker.

In 1801, Protasova was given the title of countess, and she remained lady-in-waiting to Empress Dowager Maria Feodorovna.