6-year-old girl from UK denied passport due to ‘trademarked’ name
A six-year-old girl named Khaleesi was denied a passport due to her trademarked name from the hit HBO series ‘Game of Thrones’.
Source: BBC
According to her mother, Lucy, she applied for a passport for Khaleesi for their upcoming “dream” vacation to Disneyland Paris.
However, the Passport Office rejected the application, with a letter saying her daughter’s name is trademarked by Warner Brothers.
“I was absolutely devastated, we were so looking forward to our first holiday together,” Lucy told BBC.
Khaleesi is a Dothraki title referring to the queen, and it’s used by the fictional character Daenerys Targaryen in the ‘Game of Thrones’, a television series based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels.
Trademark only covers goods and services
To help with her unique dilemma, Lucy sought legal advice. Her lawyers later discovered that the trademark for Game of Thrones only covers goods and services and not people’s names.
They then sent the information to the Passport Office who told her she needed a letter from Warner Brothers to confirm that her daughter was allowed to use the name.
Source: Fandom Wiki
“I didn’t understand and felt frustrated. If she could get a birth certificate, would something not have been flagged up then,” Lucy questioned, adding: “I never thought you could trademark a name.”
The Passport Office has since apologised to Lucy for the “mistake” it has made.
According to an official, its staff misunderstood a guideline it had been given, which only applies to people changing their names.
As such, Lucy was told that the office should now be able to process her daughter’s passport.
Khaleesi’s passport is now being processed
Now, Lucy is waiting for all of their passports to arrive before booking their holiday, hoping that they will be able to make it to Disneyland Paris soon.
“I am hoping the passport will be issued soon and was promised that they would call back in a few days to see if it had progressed,” she told BBC.
Additionally, Lucy said she hopes her experience will help others in the same situation remain optimistic that the issue can be resolved.
Meanwhile, a Home Office spokesperson confirmed that Khaleesi’s passport application is being processed and has apologised to the family for the delay.
Also read: M’sian government releases official guide on how not to name your kids
M’sian government releases official guide on how not to name your kids
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Featured image adapted from Fandom Wiki, BBC
