Kate Beckinsale has got a new tattoo that appears to be a tribute to her famous late dad

She tagged West Hollywood tattoo artist Endry Stymest in the image, and

even though she did not go into detail about its meaning on her Instagram Story message about the design, she did share a caption about heading "off to a mythical land where people don't say dumb (rubbish) like 'it was their time' in response to grief."

The post came after Kate also used Instagram to pay tribute to her late dad, 'Porridge' actor Richard Beckinsale, who was only 31 when he died in 1979 of a heart attack.

She marked his passing by sharing a series of throwback pictures of the actor, with the caption: "Oh. The day you died comes round so suddenly even when I'm expecting it.

"This is my first year without any father figure at all for a long long time.

"How I miss you. How familiar this falling through an abyss. How horribly like home falling with no one to catch you feels.

"I hope your energies have met. I'm so grateful to have had your love. I feel it, like an echo. X"

Kate's stepfather Roy Battersby also died at age 87 on 10 January.

It is unclear if the actress' shot of her new tattoo was taken while she was in her hospital bed, but it may have been as it shows her stretching out her limb on what appears to be a white bedsheet.

She first revealed she had been admitted to hospital while sharing an Instagram post marking Mother's Day in the UK on 10 March, and her mom Judy's belated birthday on 11 March.

But she has not yet revealed why she is getting treatment.