As if applying for a passport wasn’t stressful enough, Lucy, a mother from Wiltshire (as was Ms Krueanarong reported in yesterday’s news article), has been in despair as her daughter’s passport application was rejected because of an issue with her name, Khaleesi. Lucy’s daughter also shares her name with a character from the renowned drama series Game of Thrones.
The UK Passport Office initially rejected the application on the basis that Khaleesi’s name was trade marked by Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc., which is the parent company of the show’s production company Home Box Office (HBO) Production. The Office advised that Lucy would have to seek permission from Warner Bros. as it owned the trade mark.
Lucy sought legal advice, and informed the Passport Office the trade mark is for goods and services and not a person’s name. However, it has been revealed that the Passport Office has admitted that it was in error, and since has apologised for the mistake and confirmed that Khalessi’s passport application is in processing. Luckily, Lucy waited until the return of all passports before actually booking their first holiday to Disneyland Paris. She is hoping that the coverage of her story will help others in a similar situation.
This story highlights the importance that although you can register a trade mark to try and narrow the market for goods and services, you cannot create a monopoly for a person’s name.
If you have any questions on the above, feel free to contact a member of the team at 0191 281 4000 or alternatively at legal@mcdanielslaw.com.
