6-year-old girl denied British passport because she's named after a Game of Thrones character

 

Monday, August 5, 2024 - A UK mother, Lucy, from South West England, was left "absolutely devastated" after her 6-year-old daughter's passport application was denied because she was named after the popular "Game of Thrones" character, Khaleesi.

Lucy told the BBC that officials initially rejected the passport application, stating that Warner Brothers' approval was needed since the name "Khaleesi" is trademarked by the company.

“I was absolutely devastated, we were so looking forward to our first holiday together,” Lucy said. The 39-year-old mother had planned a "dream" trip to Disneyland Paris for her and her daughter. “I had a letter come through from the Passport Office, saying her name is trademarked by Warner Brothers,” she recounted. “It was the first I’ve heard of such a thing — I was astonished.”

Upon seeking legal advice, Lucy learned that her daughter was indeed allowed to use the name and forwarded this information to the Passport Office. “I didn’t understand and felt frustrated. If she could get a birth certificate, would something not have been flagged up then?” she questioned. “I never thought you could trademark a name.”

The Passport Office later called Lucy to apologize for the error. Officials assured her that they could now process Khaleesi's passport, though Lucy believes the resolution came only because she aired her frustrations on social media.

“If I hadn’t posted this on social media, nothing would have been done. I would have been stuck, not knowing what to do,” she said, noting that others had reached out to her with similar experiences.

Lucy is now waiting for her daughter's passport to arrive before rebooking their trip to Disneyland Paris. “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 said.

She also hopes her story will help others who might find themselves in a similar situation. “I think there might be other people in this situation, that they may have had their passports declined recently because of something like this. Hopefully, they now know it can be resolved,” she said.