The Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles will admit their "manifold sins and wickedness" in the Anglican church's strongest language when their wedding is blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury on Saturday.

The Prince will pledge to be faithful to his new wife in the service of prayer and dedication at St George's Chapel within the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Instead of the more recent and moderate prayers of penitence written for divorcees, the Prince and the new Duchess of Cornwall will then join the congregation in reading what is regarded as the most severe act of penitence from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

The confession reads: "We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, Which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, by thought, word and deed."

Charles and Camilla will then say: “We do earnestly repent, And are heartily sorry for these our misdoings. Have mercy upon us .... Forgive us all that is past.” Both have committed adultery during their previous marriages.

Lord Carey, the Former Archbishop of Canterbury, is expected to lighten the mood with a reading from the Book of Revelation which includes the line: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

The actor Timothy West, also a friend of Charles and Camilla, will also give a reading, reciting Ode: Intimations of Immortality by William Wordsworth. The poem includes the line oft-quoted by John Mortimer's fictional barrister Rumpole: "Shades of the prison-house begin to close Upon the growing Boy."

The 45-minute service follows the Church of England order and has been arranged in close consultation with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Dean of Windsor, who has written a special prayer for the occasion.

Ruth Gledhill, The Times's Religion correspondent, said: "In going for the 1662 prayer book confession they will be reciting the strongest words of penitance that exist in the Church of England's liturgy.

"But also, the Prince is signalling his continuing alliegance to the traditional language of the C of E. And as Lay Patron of the Prayer Book Society, which opposes the common worship liturgy of which most blessing services consist, this is a strong gesture showing where his loyalties lie."

A spokesman for Clarence House said: "The focus of the service is the dedication and commitment by the couple and prayer and support for them in their life together."

Almost 800 people will gather in the historic chapel for the service which follows the civil ceremony in Windsor’s Guildhall.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will be among the congregation for the blessing, but are not attending the civil service.

Clarence House today released more details of guests invited to the chapel including musician Jools Holland and star of comedy show the Kumars at No 42 Sanjeev Bhaskar.

Barbara Fell, the landlady of one of the Prince’s favourite pubs the Rose & Crown in Boylston, Derbyshire, will be there, as will designer Paddy Campbell, whose outfits have often been worn by Mrs Parker Bowles.

The couple’s local vicar, the Rev Christopher Mulholland, also has a place in the congregation.

Representatives from Camilla’s charities Terry Eccles, chief executive of the National Osteoporosis Society, and Colonel Bob Richardson-Aitken from the Bobby Van Trust have been invited, as has chief executive of the Prince’s Trust Martina Milburn.

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