Supplemental Financial Information - Results of Operations (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									$ 1,568.4	$ 809.2	$ 2,290.6
Interest and other income									97.3	101.3	36.7
Interest and other income of Consolidated Funds									199.2	214.5	177.7
Revenue of a real estate VIE									0.0	0.0	109.0
Total revenues	$ 460.3	$ 768.6	$ 1,061.1	$ 1,087.0	$ 151.7	$ 679.1	$ 893.6	$ 702.8	3,377.0	2,427.2	3,676.2
Compensation and benefits
Cash-based compensation and benefits									833.4	746.7	652.7
Equity-based compensation									140.0	239.9	320.3
Performance allocations and incentive fee related compensation									436.7	376.3	988.3
Total compensation and benefits									1,410.1	1,362.9	1,961.3
General, administrative and other expenses									494.4	460.7	276.8
Interest									82.1	82.2	65.5
Interest and other expenses of Consolidated Funds									131.8	164.6	197.6
Interest and other expenses of a real estate VIE and loss on deconsolidation									0.0	0.0	202.5
Other non-operating expenses (income)									1.3	1.1	(71.4)
Total expenses	483.6	505.3	528.3	602.5	222.9	615.6	653.7	579.3	2,119.7	2,071.5	2,632.3
Other income
Net investment gains (losses) of Consolidated Funds	(17.0)	(1.9)	9.2	(14.2)	(7.5)	(2.9)	12.9	2.0	(23.9)	4.5	88.4
Income before provision for income taxes	(40.3)	261.4	542.0	470.3	(78.7)	60.6	252.8	125.5	1,233.4	360.2	1,132.3
Provision for income taxes									49.0	31.3	124.9
Net income	(40.4)	252.0	526.5	446.3	(73.2)	43.2	241.2	117.7	1,184.4	328.9	1,007.4
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests in consolidated entities									36.6	33.9	72.5
Net income attributable to Carlyle Holdings									1,147.8	295.0	934.9
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings									766.9	178.5	690.8
Net income attributable to The Carlyle Group L.P.	$ (8.3)	$ 68.4	$ 148.2	$ 137.0	$ (16.0)	$ 11.6	$ 63.5	$ 33.8	380.9	116.5	244.1
Net income attributable to Series A Preferred Unitholders									19.1	23.6	6.0
Series A Preferred Units redemption premium									16.5	0.0	0.0
Net income attributable to The Carlyle Group L.P. Common Unitholders									345.3	92.9	238.1
Consolidated Operating Entities
Compensation and benefits
Equity-based compensation									140.0	239.9	320.3
Consolidated Entities | Consolidated Operating Entities
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									1,554.1	816.7	2,302.4
Interest and other income									123.6	128.0	60.5
Interest and other income of Consolidated Funds									0.0	0.0	0.0
Revenue of a real estate VIE											109.0
Total revenues									3,211.3	2,272.4	3,555.0
Compensation and benefits
Cash-based compensation and benefits									833.4	746.7	652.7
Equity-based compensation									140.0	239.9	320.3
Performance allocations and incentive fee related compensation									436.7	376.3	988.3
Total compensation and benefits									1,410.1	1,362.9	1,961.3
General, administrative and other expenses									494.4	460.7	276.8
Interest									82.1	82.2	65.5
Interest and other expenses of Consolidated Funds									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest and other expenses of a real estate VIE and loss on deconsolidation											202.5
Other non-operating expenses (income)									1.3	1.1	(71.4)
Total expenses									1,987.9	1,906.9	2,434.7
Other income
Net investment gains (losses) of Consolidated Funds									0.0	0.0	0.0
Income before provision for income taxes									1,223.4	365.5	1,120.3
Provision for income taxes									49.0	31.3	124.9
Net income									1,174.4	334.2	995.4
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests in consolidated entities									26.6	39.2	60.5
Net income attributable to Carlyle Holdings									1,147.8	295.0	934.9
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings									766.9	178.5	690.8
Net income attributable to The Carlyle Group L.P.									380.9	116.5	244.1
Net income attributable to Series A Preferred Unitholders									19.1	23.6	6.0
Series A Preferred Units redemption premium									16.5
Net income attributable to The Carlyle Group L.P. Common Unitholders									345.3	92.9	238.1
Consolidated Entities | Consolidated Funds
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest and other income									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest and other income of Consolidated Funds									199.2	214.5	177.7
Revenue of a real estate VIE											0.0
Total revenues									199.2	214.5	177.7
Compensation and benefits
Cash-based compensation and benefits									0.0	0.0	0.0
Equity-based compensation									0.0	0.0	0.0
Performance allocations and incentive fee related compensation									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total compensation and benefits									0.0	0.0	0.0
General, administrative and other expenses									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest and other expenses of Consolidated Funds									165.6	213.3	240.4
Interest and other expenses of a real estate VIE and loss on deconsolidation											0.0
Other non-operating expenses (income)									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total expenses									165.6	213.3	240.4
Other income
Net investment gains (losses) of Consolidated Funds									(23.9)	4.5	123.5
Income before provision for income taxes									9.7	5.7	60.8
Provision for income taxes									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income									9.7	5.7	60.8
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests in consolidated entities									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income attributable to Carlyle Holdings									9.7	5.7	60.8
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income attributable to The Carlyle Group L.P.									9.7	5.7	60.8
Net income attributable to Series A Preferred Unitholders									0.0	0.0	0.0
Series A Preferred Units redemption premium									0.0
Net income attributable to The Carlyle Group L.P. Common Unitholders									9.7	5.7	60.8
Eliminations
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									14.3	(7.5)	(11.8)
Interest and other income									(26.3)	(26.7)	(23.8)
Interest and other income of Consolidated Funds									0.0	0.0	0.0
Revenue of a real estate VIE											0.0
Total revenues									(33.5)	(59.7)	(56.5)
Compensation and benefits
Cash-based compensation and benefits									0.0	0.0	0.0
Equity-based compensation									0.0	0.0	0.0
Performance allocations and incentive fee related compensation									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total compensation and benefits									0.0	0.0	0.0
General, administrative and other expenses									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest and other expenses of Consolidated Funds									(33.8)	(48.7)	(42.8)
Interest and other expenses of a real estate VIE and loss on deconsolidation											0.0
Other non-operating expenses (income)									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total expenses									(33.8)	(48.7)	(42.8)
Other income
Net investment gains (losses) of Consolidated Funds									0.0	0.0	(35.1)
Income before provision for income taxes									0.3	(11.0)	(48.8)
Provision for income taxes									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income									0.3	(11.0)	(48.8)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests in consolidated entities									10.0	(5.3)	12.0
Net income attributable to Carlyle Holdings									(9.7)	(5.7)	(60.8)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income attributable to The Carlyle Group L.P.									(9.7)	(5.7)	(60.8)
Net income attributable to Series A Preferred Unitholders									0.0	0.0	0.0
Series A Preferred Units redemption premium									0.0
Net income attributable to The Carlyle Group L.P. Common Unitholders									(9.7)	(5.7)	(60.8)
Fund management fees
Revenues
Fund management fees									1,476.2	1,272.0	1,026.9
Fund management fees | Consolidated Entities | Consolidated Operating Entities
Revenues
Fund management fees									1,497.7	1,296.4	1,045.4
Fund management fees | Consolidated Entities | Consolidated Funds
Revenues
Fund management fees									0.0	0.0	0.0
Fund management fees | Eliminations
Revenues
Fund management fees									(21.5)	(24.4)	(18.5)
Incentive fees
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									35.9	30.2	35.3
Incentive fees | Consolidated Entities | Consolidated Operating Entities
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									35.9	31.3	37.7
Incentive fees | Consolidated Entities | Consolidated Funds
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									0.0	0.0	0.0
Incentive fees | Eliminations
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									0.0	(1.1)	(2.4)
Performance allocations
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									799.1	622.9	2,058.6
Compensation and benefits
Performance allocations and incentive fee related compensation									436.7	376.3	988.3
Performance allocations | Consolidated Entities | Consolidated Operating Entities
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									799.1	622.9	2,058.6
Performance allocations | Consolidated Entities | Consolidated Funds
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									0.0	0.0	0.0
Performance allocations | Eliminations
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									0.0	0.0	0.0
Principal investment income
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									769.3	186.3	232.0
Principal investment income | Consolidated Entities | Consolidated Operating Entities
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									755.0	193.8	243.8
Principal investment income | Consolidated Entities | Consolidated Funds
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									0.0	0.0	0.0
Principal investment income | Eliminations
Revenues
Investment Income, Net									$ 14.3	$ (7.5)	$ (11.8)