Consolidated Statements of Changes in Partners' Capital and Redeemable Non-Controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Common Units	Preferred Equity	Partners’ Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Partners’ Capital Appropriated for Consolidated Funds	Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities	Non- controlling Interests in Carlyle Holdings	Redeemable Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities
Beginning Balance (in units) at Dec. 31, 2014		67,800,000
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 9,094.5			$ 566.0	$ (39.0)	$ 184.5	$ 6,446.4	$ 1,936.6	$ 3,761.5
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Reallocation of ownership interests in Carlyle Holdings (in units)		100,000
Reallocation of ownership interests in Carlyle Holdings				34.5	(12.6)			(21.9)
Exchange of units, net of issuance costs (in units)		7,000,000
Exchange of units, net of issuance costs				52.5	(7.1)			(45.4)
Issuance of common units related to acquisitions (in shares)		100,000
Issuance of common units related to acquisitions	2.3			0.5				1.8
Deferred tax effects resulting from acquisition of interests in Carlyle Holdings	5.5			5.5
Equity-based compensation	376.0			92.8				283.2
Net delivery of vested common units (in units)		5,400,000
Net delivery of vested common units	4.0			3.5				0.5
Contributions	1,090.5						1,090.5		1,286.1
Distributions	(4,330.3)			(251.0)			(3,230.8)	(848.5)	(2,036.2)
Initial consolidation of a Consolidated Fund	43.9						43.9		19.9
Net income (loss)	585.5			(18.4)		(54.4)	777.7	(119.4)	(185.4)
Currency translation adjustments	(801.0)				(32.9)	(9.3)	(633.9)	(124.9)
Defined benefit plans, net	4.4				1.0			3.4
Change in fair value of cash flow hedge instruments	2.3				0.5			1.8
Ending Balance (in units) at Dec. 31, 2015		80,400,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	6,077.6			485.9	(90.1)	120.8	4,493.8	1,067.2	2,845.9
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Reallocation of ownership interests in Carlyle Holdings (in units)		900,000
Reallocation of ownership interests in Carlyle Holdings				18.1	(4.5)			(13.6)
Deferred tax effects resulting from acquisition of interests in Carlyle Holdings	0.4			0.4
Equity-based compensation	376.2			97.4				278.8
Net delivery of vested common units (in units)		6,900,000
Net delivery of vested common units	(6.7)			(6.2)				(0.5)
Contributions	119.3						119.3
Distributions	(671.4)			(140.9)			(107.9)	(422.6)	(1.5)
Net income (loss)	15.1			6.4			40.8	(32.1)	0.2
Currency translation adjustments	(54.6)				0.7		(51.5)	(3.8)
Defined benefit plans, net	(6.8)				(1.8)			(5.0)
Change in fair value of cash flow hedge instruments	1.9				0.5			1.4
Units repurchased (in units)		(3,600,000)
Units repurchased	(58.9)			(57.4)				(1.5)
Deconsolidation of ESG/consolidated entity	(6.2)			(0.6)			(5.6)		(6.3)
Deconsolidation of Consolidated Funds upon adoption of ASU 2015-02 and the impact of adoption of ASU 2014-13 (see Note 2)	(4,331.9)					(120.8)	(4,211.1)		(2,838.3)
Ending Balance (in units) at Dec. 31, 2016		84,600,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	1,454.0			403.1	(95.2)	0.0	277.8	868.3	0.0
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Cumulative effect adjustment upon adoption of ASU 2016-09	(16.2)			(3.2)				(13.0)
Reallocation of ownership interests in Carlyle Holdings				33.1	(8.3)			(24.8)
Exchange of units, net of issuance costs (in units)		6,600,000
Exchange of units, net of issuance costs				41.0	(6.5)			(34.5)
Deferred tax effects resulting from acquisition of interests in Carlyle Holdings	8.0			8.0
Equity-based compensation	358.6			104.3				254.3
Net delivery of vested common units (in units)		8,900,000
Contributions	119.2						119.2
Distributions	(537.7)		$ (6.0)	(118.1)			(118.0)	(295.6)
Net income (loss)	1,007.4		$ 6.0	238.1			72.5	690.8
Currency translation adjustments	95.8				17.0		35.6	43.2
Defined benefit plans, net	$ 0.4				0.1			0.3
Units repurchased (in units)	(14,190)
Units repurchased	$ (0.2)			(0.2)
Deconsolidation of ESG/consolidated entity	$ 72.2			(4.3)	20.2		17.6	38.7
Equity issued in connection with preferred units (in shares)	387,500,000
Equity issued in connection with preferred units	$ 387.5
Ending Balance (in units) at Dec. 31, 2017		100,100,000	387,500,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 2,949.0			$ 701.8	$ (72.7)	$ 0.0	$ 404.7	$ 1,527.7	$ 0.0