Abhay Singh
Khaleesi Holloway, six, had her passport application denied since her name is identical to a character from the Game of Thrones. Authorities told Lucy, her mother, that she would have to ask Warner Brothers, the owners of the trademark for the name, for authorisation.
It was Lucy’s first holiday with her daughter
Lucy, 39, saved £2,000 for a dream trip to Disneyland Paris with her daughter. However, her passport application was rejected, leaving her devastated. After seeking legal advice, it was discovered that the decision to refuse the passport was wrong.
Her solicitors discovered that the trademark for Game of Thrones characters’ names held by the American studio is for goods and services, not a person’s name.
“It was the first I’ve heard of such a thing – I was astonished.”
She said “I had a letter come through from the Passport Office, saying her name is trademarked by Warner Brothers. It was the first I’ve heard of such a thing – I was astonished. I was absolutely devastated, we were so looking forward to our first holiday together,”
She also added “That information was sent to the Passport Office who said I would need a letter from Warner Brothers to confirm my daughter is able to use that name.”
Since then, the Passport Office has expressed regret for the blunder and stated that there was a misunderstanding because the original advice offered by the guidance personnel only applied to those changing their name.
Lucy, frustrated by the rejection of her daughter’s birth certificate, is hoping for her passport to be issued soon. She believes the issue was resolved due to the massive social media reaction caused by the rejection. Lucy is still waiting for her daughter’s passport to arrive before booking a holiday.
A Home Office spokesperson said “We can confirm the application is being processed and apologize to the family for the delay.”
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