An English mother, Lucy, was devastated when her daughter, Khaleesi, was denied a passport due to a trademark claim by Warner Bros., just as they were planning their first family trip to Disneyland Paris.
The family received a shocking letter from the Passport Office, stating that the name Khaleesi was trademarked, as reported by BBC. “I was absolutely devastated, we were so looking forward to our first holiday together,” Lucy said, expressing her astonishment at the unexpected obstacle.
Lucy’s lawyers discovered that while Game of Thrones is a registered trademark, the rights do not extend to personal names. Despite this, the Passport Office required a letter from Warner Bros. confirming that her daughter could use the name.
“I don’t understand and felt frustrated,” Lucy said, questioning why the issue with her daughter’s name wasn’t raised when the birth certificate was issued.
The Passport Office acknowledged the mistake, explaining it as an internal misunderstanding, and has since apologized to Lucy. They have assured her that Khaleesi’s passport application is now being processed.
Lucy believes that the media attention helped resolve the issue and suspects that many others might be facing similar problems. “If I hadn’t posted this on social media, nothing would have been done. I would have been stuck, not knowing what to do. People contacted me about similar experiences,” she said, offering reassurance to others in similar situations that “it can be resolved.”
A spokesperson from the Passport Office confirmed that Khaleesi’s application is being processed.