Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities - Partnership's Non-Controlling Interests in Income (Loss) of Consolidated Entities (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Net income (loss) attributable to other non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	$ 72.5	$ 40.8	$ 777.7
Net loss attributable to partners’ capital appropriated for CLOs	0.0	0.0	(54.4)
Net income (loss) attributable to redeemable non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	0.0	0.2	(185.4)
Non-controlling interests in income of consolidated entities	72.5	41.0	537.9
Non-Carlyle interests in Consolidated Funds
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Net income (loss) attributable to other non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	12.0	17.1	876.6
Non-Carlyle interests in majority-owned subsidiaries
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Net income (loss) attributable to other non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	41.3	(8.6)	(20.6)
Non-controlling interest in carried interest, giveback obligations and cash held for carried interest distributions
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Net income (loss) attributable to other non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	$ 19.2	$ 32.3	$ (78.3)