Delays in getting a passport for her daughter caused by her Game of Thrones-inspired name have caused a mum's planned holiday costs to skyrocket.
Lucy Holloway, 39, from Swindon, was planning to take her daughter Khaleesi on a dream trip to Disneyland Paris, but delays in getting a passport have led to the cost of the same holiday rising from £1,800 to £2,600.
After applying for a passport for the six-year-old, Lucy was told by the Passport Office that they had to refuse the application because Khaleesi - named after one of the onscreen titles for the Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen - was 'trademarked by Warner Brothers'.
Lucy sought legal advice and discovered that the trademark was for 'goods and services' and not for a person's name, but was still told that she needed to obtain a letter from Warner Brothers to confirm her daughter was allowed to use the name.
The mother, who works in Cirencester, told the BBC this left her 'devastated' and 'frustrated'.
After the BBC contacted the Passport Office, the organisation said there had been a misunderstanding and had apologised for the error, telling Lucy that it would process her daughter's passport claim.
But the delay has put her and Khaleesi's dream holiday in jeopardy as the costs had risen to such an extent that she was no longer able to afford it, and has resorted to starting a fundraising page to try and salvage it.
You can find the fundraising page here: https://gofund.me/dd9aa7ef
She said: "I originally applied for her passport in July ready to book a holiday to Disneyland Paris in August which was totalling around £1800.
"Now I am asking for help to get us this holiday as since the delay in all of this the price of the holiday has gone from £1,800 to £2,600 for the cheapest hotel.
"I have saved for over 2 years for this holiday working 50-hour weeks sometimes.
"Khaleesi’s father my husband left when she was 6 months old and I haven’t heard from him since so I receive no maintenance, no benefits or financial help at all.
"I was also diagnosed with MS in 2021 so working in a retail shop on my feet all day is not doing good to my health but I have to do it.
"I am asking for my daughter as she has never been away and I promised her a trip to Disneyland Paris but because of the delays, it is no longer possible."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel