A Spitfire pirouetting overhead, Union flags everywhere you look, a chorus of Jerusalem and of course, rain. Bucketing rain.

Is there anything more wonderfully British than Leeds Castle’s Classical Concert?

For more than 40 years crowds have been trudging through the stunning medieval grounds laden with picnic baskets, camping chairs and even candelabras for the event.

Most people we saw also had umbrellas.

“Leave it in the car, I’m sure the forecast said it would be fine” I’d insisted, confronted with the choice of carrying that or jettisoning the scotch eggs.

Fast forward an hour and I’m tucking into some very soggy savouries, mascara dripping down my face, the other half trying desperately to bail out the puddles forming on the picnic blanket.

But my fifth apology speech was cut short by Capital Voices’ Abba tribute beginning. Thank You for the Music indeed!

Suddenly it didn’t seem to matter that my prosecco glass was now overflowing with rain. Everyone was up on their feet and the umbrellas around us were twirling around to Super Trouper and Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!

It’s not just the music that makes this concert so special, it’s the people. We were offered a blanket to shelter under, handed flags, and had joined in with a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ to our neighbouring picnickers before the tribute to the Swedish supergroup had even got going.

It’s just a joyful place to be.

And by the time The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra fired up, the sun was shining, the sausage rolls were drying out and we were ready to be blown away.

This year John Rigby’s musicians were joined by Elesha Paul Moses, who has played Tina in The Tina Turner Music in the West End, Mexican tenor Jesús León and lead singer in Now That’s What I Call the 80s, Sandy Grigelis.

Lara Martins, who holds the record for being the longest-running Carlotta in the Phantom of the Opera, was also making her castle debut.

Time for a disclaimer: I don’t really listen to classical music. The last concert I went to was the Arctic Monkeys’, and I don’t know my Glass from my Elgar. Yet, here, it really doesn’t matter.

It was a rousing greatest hits compilation, from the traditional crowdpleasers such as Jerusalem to more contemporary tunes like the soundtrack to Pirates of the Caribbean.

Everybody was mesmerised.

Then the roar of a Merlin engine came into earshot during Walton’s Prelude and Fugue and a Spitfire twirled above our heads.

And I challenge anyone not to be moved by León’s rendition of Nessun Dorma, which was enough to make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.

Then, as if the glorious castle backdrop wasn’t enough, the party was rounded off with a spectacular fireworks display and gun salute.

It really is a special event. Rousing and fortifying in equal measure.

The smell of gunpowder hanging in the air, we trudged back up to the car park still waving our Union flags, sodden, but smiling.

Even if England’s footballers do the unthinkable later, the fans in the Olympiastadion will need to do some to top the national pride on display at Leeds Castle last night.