Kate Beckinsale has had a "rough" year.

The 50-year-old actress returned to the red carpet on Thursday (02.05.24) for the King's Trust Global Gala in New York City after recently being hospitalised for an undisclosed reason and she admitted it was "nice" to get out an see her friends.

She told People magazine: "It's been a rough year. Because my parents have both been unwell and my cat ... it's been a bunch of things. So that's why it's nice to come and see friends and have a little perspective. Everyone's had a bit of a rough year, I think."

It was important for the 'Underworld' actress to support the event.

Asked why it mattered for her to be there, she said: "First of all, usually when [King’s Trust Global Ambassador] Edward [Enninful] tells me to do something, I do it.

"Second of all, I've been to this event a few times and you come in and you see all the people that you're friends with that you haven't seen for a while and that's really nice.

"And then it gets like to that moment where the kids start talking and you're like, this is why we're all here. It's so moving and inspiring.

"And you really realise how much of an amazing job the King's Trust does with these kids. Their whole futures are completely altered by this charity. It's so important."

Kate had last been seen on the red carpet at the SAG-AFTRA awards in February.

On 10 March, Mother's Day in the UK, she shared a tearful photo of herself in a hospital bed as she paid tribute to her mom Judy.

She wrote: "Thank you to those that love us and support us when it’s s--- and try to make sure there are some bits that aren’t.

"And for looking after our dogs when we can’t, and lead us to remember happy things when we can’t. And turn up when we are sick and sit with us . . And send balloons and check in and pull us out of wells with love."

She continued to share posts from hospital over the next few weeks and on Easter Sunday (31.03.23), the 'Love and Friendship' star shared pictures of her rainbow socks in her hospital bed on Instagram and simply captioned the post: “Happy Easter."

Her Instagram Story suggested she had returned home around 7 April, and three days later she removed all the photos from her time in hospital from her account.

But a week later, she alluded to her health troubles when she shared a series of photos of herself sporting a white t-shirt with the slogan "tummy troubles survivor".

Kate sported a black bow in her hair, and didn't offer any more information or context.