A soldier and massive Star Wars fan was told he might have to forgo his dream holiday after his young son was denied a passport over copyright concerns.
WHAT HAPPENED?
An application for Loki Skywalker Mowbray – who was born on May 4, known as ‘Star Wars Day’ to enthusiasts – was thrown out by Home Office officials ‘for copyright issues’.
His father, Christian Mowbray, 48, who serves with the Corps of Royal Engineers at Rock Barracks near Woodbridge, Suffolk, was told by the Home Office to either change his son’s name or get permission from the copyright owner, Disney.
Mr Mowbray and his wife Becky, a former soldier, had been looking forward to a holiday in the Dominican Republic at the end of October before the furore.
It would mark the family’s first time away since 2014 due to their demanding work schedules and Becky’s struggles with Complex PTSD.
Skywalker is the family name of characters at the heart of the Star Wars film franchise, which is owned by Disney.
Mr Mowbray said: ‘We were not aware that this could be a potential issue.
‘We understand that Loki’s middle name is copyrighted, but we have no intention of using it for personal gain.
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‘I understand the Home Office’s position and reasoning, but I believe they need to recognise that modern names are evolving.
‘I can understand if an adult changes their name for a ‘stunt’, but this is not the case for a child from birth.
‘It’s caused significant stress for the entire family as we may have to cancel our holiday and we would have been deeply saddened if we had to change our son’s name.’
