Countess Praskovya Aleksandrovna Rumyantseva was born into the noble
Rumyantsev family. She was the sister of Marshal Count
Pyotr Rumyantsev and married to Count
James Bruce,
governor of
Saint Petersburg. Bruce is best known in history as ''l'éprouveuse'' for the role that she allegedly played in Catherine's love life. According to legend, Bruce would "test" any prospective lovers sexually before they became the lovers of Catherine after they had been suggested by
Grigory Potemkin, chosen by Catherine and examined by a doctor. The same role has been attributed to Bruce's successor as lady-in-waiting,
Anna Protasova. That is unconfirmed, and it is unknown how much truth there is, despite that being a well-reported story. Bruce played an important role in developing the relationship between Catherine and Potemkin, notably as a messenger, and played that role until the relationship was consummated in 1773. Bruce was then given the task of persuading Potemkin to leave his exile and enter a relationship with Catherine. In 1779, Catherine was directed into a room, where she witnessed her latest lover,
Ivan Rimsky-Korsakov, having sex with Bruce. The person who directed her is believed to have been
Aleksandra von Engelhardt, on the order of Potemkin, who wished for the removal of both Korsakov and Bruce from court. That resulted in the fall of both Korsakov and Bruce. Korsakov was sent in exile to
Moscow. Bruce soon followed him, but their relationship soon ended. She returned to her spouse and was dismissed as a lady-in-waiting and replaced by Anna Protasova (1745–1826), the cousin of Alexej
Orlov, who is mentioned as ''l'éprouveuse'' in the poems of
Lord Byron. ==Portrayal==