Royal commentators analysingAndrew Mountbatten-Windsor's downfall have repeatedly returned to the same description of his character - "arrogant". The former duke has seen his fall from grace, which began with his disastrous BBC Newsnight interview, accelerate in recent months, culminating in the loss of his titles and his home.

However, many royal experts have said publicly that the former Duke of York's behaviour since scrutiny intensified has compounded his problems rather than eased them. Jennie Bond, former royal correspondent for the BBC, told the Daily Mirror that the former duke is likely to be living in fear amid public and legal scrutiny. She said: "He is an arrogant, self-assured man - but even he must be feeling the heat.

"To live with this kind of pressure must take its toll on anyone - unless they are somehow completely oblivious to the gathering storm. He must be living with constant fear about what will be revealed next."

Another source told the Sun: "When he was told to get out he was so arrogant and deluded he repeatedly shouted, 'But I'm the Queen's second son, you can't do this to me'.

"It is extraordinary he chose to use the Queen's name in his defence. No one is quite sure if the reality of his dire situation has hit home even yet."

The word "arrogant" has surfaced time and again in assessments of how he handled the crisis.

Observers argue that his insistence on maintaining certain privileges and challenging decisions about his status within the Royal Family reinforced that perception.

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Royal expert Robert Hardman blasted the former prince for dragging his family through the'most tumultuous' period since the abdication.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Hardman claimed that the ongoing controversy over the former duke's relationship with Epstein and time as trade envoy continues to leave "an indelible taint on the reign of his brother and the memory of his mother."

Hardman quotes a source close to the family who said: "He has done nothing but complain since he got there," referencing Andrew's attitude towards his banishment from Windsor to Sandringham.

They added: "It's extraordinary. He hardly seemed bothered about the Epstein scandal. He was much more worried about where he was supposed to keep his horses. He was even grumbling about where to park his car.

"Given that the King is footing all his bills, you might expect some sort of gratitude. But he's been very rude. He is in another world."

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing over his links to Jeffrey Epstein.