Just to be clear, did you use butyl sealant to stick the windscreen on to the body? I know this is what Lotus did originally, but I wouldn't be happy to do that on my car today.
When I removed the windscreen from my car I pulled the trim off and then a gentle push from the inside was all that was needed to remove it. Granted that was old sealant and a bit dried up around the edges, but much of that sealant was still sticky. Butyl is a great sealant and a lousy adhesive. The urethane adhesive they use today has a bit of flexibility to it, but it is also a strong adhesive. I believe the windscreen is intended to contribute to the stiffness of the body shell, so I wouldn't be worried about the screen cracking.