Woman’s 6-Year-Old Daughter Denied Passport as ‘Game of Thrones’ Name Causes Major Issue: Report
A mother from the U.K., known only as Lucy, faced a surprising obstacle while applying for a passport for her 6-year-old daughter, Khaleesi. The application was denied because the name “Khaleesi” is trademarked by Warner Bros. Discovery, the studio behind the TV series “Game of Thrones.” Lucy expressed her shock and confusion, questioning why this issue wasn’t flagged during the birth certificate issuance. The situation left her devastated, as she had planned a trip to Disneyland Paris with her daughter. However, legal advice clarified that the trademark applied only to goods and services, not personal names. Eventually, the passport office recognized their error and apologized, allowing Lucy and her daughter to proceed with their vacation plans.
A U.K. mom planning a vacation with her young daughter got a shock when a passport application was denied because of the child’s name.
The woman, identified only as Lucy by the BBC, was informed that her 6-year-old daughter Khaleesi could not get a passport without permission from Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns the trademark for the name Khaleesi and other characters from the TV series “Game of Thrones.”
The show, which is decidedly not children’s fare, ran from 2011 to 2019 on HBO, and is fully available on the streaming platform Max.
“I had a letter come through from the Passport Office, saying her name is trademarked by Warner Brothers,” Lucy told the British news outlet.
The mother understandably added: “It was the first I’ve heard of such a thing – I was astonished.”
Lucy said she was confused and frustrated by the unexpected roadblock.
“If she could get a birth certificate, would something not have been flagged up then?” she asked.
“I never thought you could trademark a name,” she added.
For a while, it looked as if their outing to Disneyland Paris would not be possible.
“I was absolutely devastated,” Lucy said.
The mother added: “We were so looking forward to our first holiday together.”
Fortunately, unlike her namesake on the TV show, Lucy and her daughter experienced a happy ending to their predicament.
Legal advisers informed her that, “while there is a trademark for Game of Thrones, it is for goods and services – but not for a person’s name,” the BBC reported.
The passport office eventually admitted their initial refusal was a mistake and apologized, according to the report.
Considering all the trouble they encountered with the name Khaleesi, it’s perhaps fortunate that Lucy didn’t use the character’s full name for her child.
Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, the Mother of Dragons, the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, the Breaker of Chains. pic.twitter.com/eiP9UtvxxN
— Game of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) April 23, 2021
That, according to the show’s post on social media platform X, would have been a lot to fit on the first line of any passport: “Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, the Mother of Dragons, the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, the Breaker of Chains.”
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