Walter Van Rensselaer Berry
Walter Van Rensselaer Berry (July 29, 1859 – October 12, 1927) was an American lawyer, diplomat, and friend of many famous writers. He was born in Paris into the Van Rensselaer family and studied at St. Mark’s School, Harvard, and Columbia Law School. He practiced law in New York, Washington, and Paris, focusing on international law and diplomacy.
Berry served as a judge at the International Tribunal of Egypt from 1908 to 1911, then settled in Paris for the rest of his life. During World War I he worked to promote France in the United States and led the American Chamber of Commerce in Paris from 1916 to 1923. After the war he spoke out against Germany and the Soviet Union.
He was a close friend of writers Henry James and Edith Wharton, who called him “the love of my life.” He also befriended Marcel Proust in 1916, a friendship that lasted in his final years. Friends described him as tall, stylish, witty, and sometimes pedantic, with a strong, polished presence.
In tennis, Berry reached the semifinals of the U.S. National Championships in 1885 and the doubles final in 1884, playing doubles with his cousin Alexander Van Rensselaer. He died in Paris at age 68.
(He played in the era of what is now called the US Open.)
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 05:58 (CET).