Supplemental Financial Information - Supplemental Financial Position (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 991.5	$ 1,242.0	$ 966.6	$ 567.1
Cash and cash equivalents held at Consolidated Funds	1,612.7	1,551.1
Restricted cash	18.9	59.7
Restricted cash and securities of Consolidated Funds	18.4	14.9
Accrued performance fees	2,988.6	3,795.6
Investments	885.9	931.6
Investments of Consolidated Funds	23,998.8	26,028.8
Due from affiliates and other receivables, net	195.3	199.4
Due from affiliates and other receivables of Consolidated Funds, net	765.3	1,213.2
Receivables and inventory of a consolidated real estate VIE	143.6	163.9
Fixed assets, net	110.9	75.4
Deposits and other	58.4	59.2
Other assets of a consolidated real estate VIE	47.6	86.4
Intangible assets, net	135.7	442.1
Deferred tax assets	219.4	131.0
Assets	32,191.0	35,994.3	35,622.3
Liabilities and partners’ capital
Loans payable	38.7	40.2
3.875% senior notes due 2023	499.9	499.9
5.625% senior notes due 2043	606.5	606.8
Loans payable of Consolidated Funds	17,064.7	16,052.2
Loans payable of a consolidated real estate VIE	75.4	146.2
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	463.8	396.2
Accrued compensation and benefits	1,953.2	2,312.5
Due to affiliates	245.9	184.2
Deferred revenue	40.9	93.7
Deferred tax liabilities	103.5	112.2
Other liabilities of Consolidated Funds	1,838.6	2,504.9
Other liabilities of a consolidated real estate VIE	84.4	84.9
Accrued giveback obligations	252.0	104.4
Total liabilities	23,267.5	23,138.3
Redeemable non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	2,845.9	3,761.5
Partners’ capital	485.9	566.0
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(90.1)	(39.0)
Partners’ capital appropriated for Consolidated Funds	120.8	184.5
Non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	4,493.8	6,446.4
Non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings	1,067.2	1,936.6
Total partners’ capital	6,077.6	9,094.5	$ 10,377.4	$ 10,695.4
Total liabilities and partners’ capital	32,191.0	35,994.3
Eliminations
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0.0	0.0
Cash and cash equivalents held at Consolidated Funds	0.0	0.0
Restricted cash	0.0	0.0
Restricted cash and securities of Consolidated Funds	0.0	0.0
Accrued performance fees	(23.6)	(13.3)
Investments	(218.0)	(183.3)
Investments of Consolidated Funds	2.7	0.1
Due from affiliates and other receivables, net	(79.8)	(16.4)
Due from affiliates and other receivables of Consolidated Funds, net	0.0	0.0
Receivables and inventory of a consolidated real estate VIE	0.0	0.0
Fixed assets, net	0.0	0.0
Deposits and other	0.0	0.0
Other assets of a consolidated real estate VIE	0.0	0.0
Intangible assets, net	0.0	0.0
Deferred tax assets	0.0	0.0
Assets	(318.7)	(212.9)
Liabilities and partners’ capital
Loans payable	0.0	0.0
3.875% senior notes due 2023	0.0	0.0
5.625% senior notes due 2043	0.0	0.0
Loans payable of Consolidated Funds	(267.8)	(167.6)
Loans payable of a consolidated real estate VIE	0.0	0.0
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	0.0	(50.6)
Accrued compensation and benefits	0.0	0.0
Due to affiliates	(1.5)	(0.4)
Deferred revenue	0.0	(0.2)
Deferred tax liabilities	0.0	0.0
Other liabilities of Consolidated Funds	(43.6)	(43.1)
Other liabilities of a consolidated real estate VIE	0.0	0.0
Accrued giveback obligations	0.0	(9.0)
Total liabilities	(312.9)	(270.9)
Redeemable non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	0.0	0.0
Partners’ capital	1.4	71.5
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(1.4)	(5.0)
Partners’ capital appropriated for Consolidated Funds	(5.8)	(8.5)
Non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	0.0	0.0
Non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings	0.0	0.0
Total partners’ capital	(5.8)	58.0
Total liabilities and partners’ capital	(318.7)	(212.9)
Consolidated Funds
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0.0	0.0
Cash and cash equivalents held at Consolidated Funds	1,612.7	1,551.1
Restricted cash	0.0	0.0
Restricted cash and securities of Consolidated Funds	18.4	14.9
Accrued performance fees	0.0	0.0
Investments	0.0	0.0
Investments of Consolidated Funds	23,996.1	26,028.7
Due from affiliates and other receivables, net	0.0	0.0
Due from affiliates and other receivables of Consolidated Funds, net	765.3	1,213.2
Receivables and inventory of a consolidated real estate VIE	0.0	0.0
Fixed assets, net	0.0	0.0
Deposits and other	3.2	1.9
Other assets of a consolidated real estate VIE	0.0	0.0
Intangible assets, net	0.0	0.0
Deferred tax assets	0.0	0.0
Assets	26,395.7	28,809.8
Liabilities and partners’ capital
Loans payable	0.0	0.0
3.875% senior notes due 2023	0.0	0.0
5.625% senior notes due 2043	0.0	0.0
Loans payable of Consolidated Funds	17,332.5	16,219.8
Loans payable of a consolidated real estate VIE	0.0	0.0
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	0.0	0.0
Accrued compensation and benefits	0.0	0.0
Due to affiliates	1.8	1.0
Deferred revenue	0.0	0.0
Deferred tax liabilities	0.0	0.0
Other liabilities of Consolidated Funds	1,882.2	2,548.0
Other liabilities of a consolidated real estate VIE	0.0	0.0
Accrued giveback obligations	0.0	0.0
Total liabilities	19,216.5	18,768.8
Redeemable non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	2,838.3	3,753.1
Partners’ capital	(1.4)	(71.5)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	1.7	6.3
Partners’ capital appropriated for Consolidated Funds	126.6	193.0
Non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	4,213.0	6,160.1
Non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings	1.0	0.0
Total partners’ capital	4,340.9	6,287.9
Total liabilities and partners’ capital	26,395.7	28,809.8
Consolidated Operating Entities
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	991.5	1,242.0
Cash and cash equivalents held at Consolidated Funds	0.0	0.0
Restricted cash	18.9	59.7
Restricted cash and securities of Consolidated Funds	0.0	0.0
Accrued performance fees	3,012.2	3,808.9
Investments	1,103.9	1,114.9
Investments of Consolidated Funds	0.0	0.0
Due from affiliates and other receivables, net	275.1	215.8
Due from affiliates and other receivables of Consolidated Funds, net	0.0	0.0
Receivables and inventory of a consolidated real estate VIE	143.6	163.9
Fixed assets, net	110.9	75.4
Deposits and other	55.2	57.3
Other assets of a consolidated real estate VIE	47.6	86.4
Intangible assets, net	135.7	442.1
Deferred tax assets	219.4	131.0
Assets	6,114.0	7,397.4
Liabilities and partners’ capital
Loans payable	38.7	40.2
3.875% senior notes due 2023	499.9	499.9
5.625% senior notes due 2043	606.5	606.8
Loans payable of Consolidated Funds	0.0	0.0
Loans payable of a consolidated real estate VIE	75.4	146.2
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	463.8	446.8
Accrued compensation and benefits	1,953.2	2,312.5
Due to affiliates	245.6	183.6
Deferred revenue	40.9	93.9
Deferred tax liabilities	103.5	112.2
Other liabilities of Consolidated Funds	0.0	0.0
Other liabilities of a consolidated real estate VIE	84.4	84.9
Accrued giveback obligations	252.0	113.4
Total liabilities	4,363.9	4,640.4
Redeemable non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	7.6	8.4
Partners’ capital	485.9	566.0
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(90.4)	(40.3)
Partners’ capital appropriated for Consolidated Funds	0.0	0.0
Non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	280.8	286.3
Non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings	1,066.2	1,936.6
Total partners’ capital	1,742.5	2,748.6
Total liabilities and partners’ capital	$ 6,114.0	$ 7,397.4