Tutelberg was from the Baltic region and was described by lady-in-waiting Anna Vyrubova as being a "rather slow and quiet girl".[1] She was employed as a maid to Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. She lived in a room on the upper floor of the Alexander Palace, across from the rooms of the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia and the Tsarevich Alexei.[1] Another palace maid, Madeleine Zanotti, hated Tutelberg but the two worked together to request not to wear caps and aprons while in service to the Empress.[1] Empress Alexandra permitted them, as chief maids, to wear simple black gowns and ribbon bows in their hair.[1] Tutelberg and Zanotti were assisted by three Russian undermaids.[1]
Tutelberg was sceptical of Grigori Rasputin's abilities to heal Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich of his haemophilia, and expressed her doubts to the empress.[2] Empress Alexandra responded to Tutelberg, saying: "Our Saviour chose his disciples among simple fishermen and carpenters, not among learned theologians. It is said in the Gospel that faith can move mountains... I believe that my son will rise. ... I know that people think me mad for my faith, but so did they think of the Martyrs."[2]
When the Imperial family was placed under house arrest during the Russian Revolution, they had to live on steamers while awaiting a house to be sent to.[2] While living on the steamer, Tutelberg worked with Elizaveta Ersberg, Alexandra Tegleva, Anna Demidova, Count Ilya Leonidovich Tatischev, Anastasia Hendrikova, and Catherine Schneider to arrange the furniture.[2] She lived with the family under arrest at Governor's Mansion in Tobolsk, occupying a room on the first floor under the main staircase.[2] She accompanied the family to Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg.[2]
Tutelberg, along with Ersberg, were brought by the White Army into the woods where the Imperial family had been buried to help identify the relics.[2] She and Ersberg had assisted in sewing up the bodices, buttons, and hats of the Grand Duchesses and knew which jewels belonged to which duchess.[2]
